EARLY CRETACEOUS POLARITY CHRONS CM0 TO CM11 RECORDED IN NORTHERN ITALIAN LAND SECTIONS NEAR BRESCIA

Three Lower Cretaceous pelagic limestone sections located in the Lombardian Prealps, northwest of Brescia, record polarity chrons CM0 to CM11. The polarity chrons are correlated to nannofossil and foraminiferal events. The Polaveno section records polarity chrons CM3 to CM11 with excellent fit to the Larson and Hilde [1] polarity model derived from Hawaiian oceanic magnetic anomalies. This is the first complete magnetistratigraphic record in this interval and indicates that this part of the Hawaiian polarity model represents an approximately constant spreading rate record. The Pie' del Dosso section records CMO and CM1 with correlations to the biostratigraphic record. The San Giovanni section records part of the CM3 to CM9 interval, with the CM6 to CM8 interval cut out by faulting. The correlations of polarity chrons to nannofossil datum planes are generally consistent with previously published correlations based on data from the Southern Alps and central Italy (Umbria). We Present new biostratigraphic data from a previously studied section (Capriolo, Southern Alps) which result in revised identification of CMO and CMI at this locality.