GeolCarp_Vol63_No3_219

www.geologicacarpathica.sk

GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA

, JUNE 2012, 63, 3, 219—232 doi: 10.2478/v10096-012-0019-1

Introduction

The  threefold  Badenian  stage,  based  on  planktonic  foramini-
fers,  was  introduced  by  Papp  &  Cicha  (1968).  Although  the
Badenian sediments are widespread in the Central Paratethys,
the  exact  age  of  its  boundaries  and  biozones  has  been  under
debate. Concerning the biostratigraphy, a basic trouble is that
the benthic foraminiferal zones of Grill (1941, 1943) have also
been  used,  though  the  relationship  between  the  benthic  and
the planktonic zonations has not been established. Dozens of
studies  on  Badenian  sediments  and  stratigraphy  have  been
published during the past decade, and the results are summa-
rized in Kováč et al. (2007), and relevant references herein.

Kováč et al. (2007) subdivided the Badenian into two

parts: Early and Late Badenian, and it is also proposed by
Hohenegger & Wagreich (2011). In this study we follow this
twofold subdivision because many biostratigraphic (nanno-
plankton and planktonic gastropod) data from the Hungarian
deposits support it.

Magnetostratigraphic studies are scarce on Badenian se-

quences.  Paleomagnetic  directions  in  the  Grund  Formation
were  measured  from  seven  surface  outcrops  in  the  Vienna
Basin System and the Molasse Zone, and all display a single
polarity  interval  for  the  Badenian  sediments  (Scholger  &
Stingl 2004). The sections of the Wagna and Retznei quarries
(Styrian Basin) contain several polarity zones which were as-
signed to the distinct chrons of the time scale between 16.6 and
14.3 Ma by means of biostratigraphic markers (Hohenegger
et  al.  2009).  Due  to  several  sedimentary  gaps  and  the  fact
that large parts of the reversed polarity zones are not repre-
sented  in  the  sections,  the  correlations,  however,  are

Correlation of bio- and magnetostratigraphy of Badenian

sequences from western and northern Hungary

ILDIKÓ SELMECZI

, MIKLÓS LANTOS

, MARGIT BOHN-HAVAS

, ANDRÁS NAGYMAROSY

and ÉVA SZEGŐ

Geological Institute of Hungary, Stefánia út 14, 1143 Budapest, Hungary; selmeczi.ildiko@mfgi.hu; lantos.miklos@upcmail.hu;

bohn.havas@taico.hu; szego@mafi.hu

Eötvös University of Sciences, Department of Physical and Historical Geology, Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary;

nagymarosy@gmail.com

(Manuscript received August 3, 2011; accepted in revised form December 7, 2011)

Abstract: Lithological, magnetostratigraphic and paleontological (nannoplankton, foraminifers, molluscs) studies were
carried out on the Badenian successions of boreholes Sopron-89, Nagylózs-1 and Sáta-75 in Hungary. The correlations
with the ATNTS2004 scale show that the Badenian sedimentation began during Chron C5Br thus the earliest Badenian
deposits  are  missing  in  the  sections.  The  first  occurrence  of  Orbulina  suturalis  Brönnimann  has  been  observed  in
Subchron  C5Bn.1r,  at  14.9 Ma.  Although  it  is  older  than  the  interpolated  age  of  14.74 Ma  in  Chron  C5ADr  in  the
ATNTS2004,  it  is  consistent  with  the  age  of  15.1 Ma  obtained  from  recent  calibration  of  planktonic  foraminiferal
bioevents. The base of the Bulimina-Bolivina Zone has been determined at 13.7 Ma in Chron C5ABr, and the Badenian/
Sarmatian boundary is recorded within Chron C5AAn, at 13.15 Ma.

Key words: Middle Miocene, Badenian, Paratethys, Pannonian Basin, Eisenstadt-Sopron (Sub-)Basin, biostratigraphy,
magnetostratigraphy.

questionable. A magnetostratigraphic study has been published
from  Badenian  sediments  of  the  P-3  borehole  near  Zbudza,
East Slovak Basin (Túnyi et al. 2005). The polarity zones of
the  section  were  correlated  with  the  polarity  time  scale  in
two  variants,  but  none  of  them  fits  with  the  biostratigraphy
as described in Kováč et al. (2007).

Several attempts have been made to date different horizons

by sequence stratigraphy or cyclostratigraphy lacking any true
age control. The ages obtained in this way can be useful but
should  be  considered  only  approximate.  Sequence  stratigra-
phy  is  effective  for  correlations  providing  stratigraphic  time
lines  but  it  cannot  give  ages  itself,  and  identification  of  a  se-
quence  boundary  with  a  dated  but  widely  separated  horizon
may  be  uncertain.  Cyclostratigraphy  can  give  ages  in  ideal
cases,  but  the  accumulation  in  reality  is  not  strictly  uniform,
therefore independent time control is necessary for a correct age.

The Geological Institute of Hungary drilled a series of con-

tinuously cored stratigraphic test holes to investigate the cor-
relation and dating of the Middle and Late Miocene strata in
the  Pannonian  Basin.  Detailed  lithological,  paleontological
and paleomagnetic studies were carried out on the cores. Four
holes  penetrated  Badenian  deposits:  Berhida-3,  Sopron-89,
Nagylózs-1  and  Sáta-75.  The  Berhida-3  borehole,  located
southeast of the Bakony Mts, is the only published section, its
polarity  zones  were  correlated  with  the  geomagnetic  time
scale  from  17  to  7 Ma  (Kókay  et  al.  1991).  The  correlation,
however, is debatable (Vass 1999) due to several gaps in the
sequence. This section is being studied at present (Kókay pers.
comm. 2010), and has been excluded from the recent study.

During the evaluation of the samples from the boreholes

the Geological Institute of Hungary was cut back and due to

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its  complete  reorganization  all  stratigraphic  researches  were
broken off. The new publications on Badenian deposits in the
past  decade  inspired  us  to  continue  the  investigations  and
complete the description of the Hungarian Badenian sections
and  their  correlations.  Preliminary  results  were  reported  by
Nagymarosy et al. (2005). We present here the results of mag-
netostratigraphic and paleontological studies on the Badenian
sediments  in  Sopron-89,  Nagylózs-1  and  Sáta-75  boreholes
and propose their joint correlation with the time scale.

Geological setting and stratigraphy

The three boreholes were drilled in the northern part of the

Pannonian Basin (Fig. 1). Lithological descriptions have
been abstracted primarily from geological records kept by
the National Archive of the Hungarian Office for Mining and
Geology.

North-west Hungary

Borehole Sopron-89 and Nagylózs-1 are located in the vi-

cinity  of  the  Sopron  Mts.  After  a  continental  fluvial  and
brackish-water  sedimentation  in  the  Early  Miocene,  a  rapid
subsidence and transgression occurred in the area during the
Early  Badenian.  Due  to  tectonic  movements  in  this  period
fault structures of approximately N-S direction came into be-
ing in the eastern forelands of the Sopron Mts and the west-
ern part of the Kisalföld (Danube Basin). East of the Csapod
Trough an elevated high, i.e. the Mihályi Ridge separated the
study area from the Kisalföld (Danube Basin) depocenter.

Pelitic sediments of Badenian age are known in the area of

Sopron (under the town) as well as N, S and E of it (in the

surroundings of Balf). The thickness of these sediments may
reach 400 m in the vicinity of Sopron. Towards the Fertőrá-
kos-Rust Ridge (Fertőrákos-Ruster Hügelland) the thickness
decreases and the fine-grained siliciclastic sediments are re-
placed by coralline limestone-calcareous sand and sand-
stone.

The Sopron borehole is located in the Eisenstadt-Sopron

(Sub-)Basin; Miocene formations are of the same facies here
as those of the Vienna Basin, since this area was a satellite
sedimentary basin of the Vienna Basin (Rasser & Harzhauser
2008).

According to seismic profiles and gravity measurements

(Magyar, pers. comm.; Šefara & Szabó 1997) the Nagylózs-1
borehole penetrated the succession of a small Miocene trough
between  two  smaller  tectonic  highs  which  are  located  in  the
area  between  the  Fertőrákos-Rust  Ridge  and  the  Mihályi
Ridge, and runs parallel to them. The Nagylózs area may have
been a deeper, rapidly subsiding zone with considerable silici-
clastic sedimentation during the Badenian, whereas in the sur-
roundings  of  the  Leitha  Mountains  gravels,  sands  and
coralline algae limestones (“Leithakalk”) are more frequent.

At the Badenian/Sarmatian boundary a significant sea-level

fall occurred. This has been correlated to the Ser 3 sequence
boundary in Strauss et al. (2006). A considerable erosion
took place along the basin margins, however, a hiatus can
also be traced throughout the basinal areas.

Borehole Sopron-89

It was drilled at the eastern foot of the Sopron Mts, West

Hungary, between Sopron and Kópháza (Koljnof) in 1989.
The Miocene core samples were studied by T. Hámor (unpub-
lished well report). The drilling penetrated the sediments of a

Fig. 1. Location map. S.M. – Sopron Mts.

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sub-basin WNW of the Csapod Trough. The Paleozoic base-
ment is overlain by the almost 200-meter-thick Badenian suc-
cession with a sharp unconformity. Its top is cut by erosion,
and unconformably overlain by Quaternary sediments.

The Badenian succession (11.2—209.9 m) starts with gravel/

conglomerate  and  pebbly  sandstone  beds  (‘Ruszt  Gravel’,
193.7—209.9 m), which overlie the basement with a consider-
able  hiatus  and  angular  unconformity  (Fig. 2).  The  pebbles
are  derived  from  metamorphic  rocks  of  the  basement.  The
fine-grained,  sandy-silty  sediments  of  the  Baden  Clay
Formation  develop  from  these  basal  beds  with  a  gradual
transition. The Baden Clay Formation in the vicinity of Sopron
is slightly different from the characteristic greyish-blue basi-
nal marl and clay (“Baden Tegel”) which was exposed in the
stratotype  locality  Baden-Soos  (Rögl  et  al.  2008),  and  is
known  as  “Baden  clay  of  schlier  facies”  (Vendel  in  Deák
1981,  p. 45).  Nevertheless,  it  was  classified  into  this  litho-
stratigraphic unit. Above the basal pebbly beds the lower part

of the succession comprises some pebbly sandstone interbed-
dings with a thickness of some tens of centimeters, and small
fining-upward cycles can be observed. The pebbly-sandy-
clayey silt transected between 157.1 and 158.1 m is chaoti-
cally contorted due to synsedimentary tectonic movements.

Deposition took place during the Early Badenian. Data

available (Kováč et al. 1997, 1999) indicate that the transected
succession represents the upper part of the Lower Badenian.

Borehole Nagylózs-1

It was drilled on the western rim of the present Kisalföld

(Danube Basin) west of the deepest zone of the Csapod
Trough, in 1989—90. The description has been provided by
Don and Zsámbok (unpublished well report).

The Badenian succession represents a complete sedimen-

tary cycle. The lowermost – approximately 30-meter-thick
part of the Badenian sequence (1304.2—1335.2 m) is made

Fig. 2. Stratigraphic column of the Pre-Pannonian Miocene sediments in the studied boreholes.

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up of conglomerate and breccia beds the material of which is
derived from the crystalline basement and from the formerly
deposited  fluvial  sequence.  In  the  upper  part  of  the  pebbly
basal  beds  coralline  algae  limestone  (Lajta  Limestone
Formation) intercalations can be observed; according to their
stratigraphic position they were formed in the Early Badenian.
Pebbles  and  clasts  from  the  crystalline  basement  are  also
frequent in these coralline algae limestones.

The calcareous-coarse-grained deposits are overlain pre-

dominantly  by  siliciclastic  sediments  of  a  thickness  of  more
than  200 m  (Fig. 2).  From  1198.7  to  1304.2 m  “schlier-like”
sediments (sandy silt, silty sand) were transected, which are
equivalent to the Baden Clay Formation. The presence of the
0.3—3.5-meter-thick  coralline  algae  limestones  and  calcare-
ous conglomerate interbeddings can be explained by gravita-
tional  re-deposition  on  the  submarine  slopes,  triggered  by  the
tectonic  movements  in  the  area  during  the  Early  Badenian.
Gravitational re-deposition in this section (1256.1—1276 m) is
confirmed by the scatter and shallowing in inclination.

The upper boundary of the Baden Clay Formation was

drawn approximately at the top of the layer the upper part of
which is characterized by thin gypsum and gypsum-bearing
dolomite interbeddings and strips (at a depth of 1198.7 m
(10-cm-thick) and 1201.4 m (25-cm-thick)). The sandy silt
and micaceous fine-grained sand (Szilágy Clay Marl Forma-
tion, 1083.2—1198.7 m) were deposited during the late Early
and the Late Badenian.

Coralline algae limestones occurring again in the upper

part  of  the  Badenian  sedimentary  cycle  (1070.0—1083.2 m)
indicate  the  prograding  carbonate  ramp  towards  the  basin.
This  refers  to  the  relative  decrease  of  water  level.  The
Badenian sequence ends with pebbly limestone, coralline algae-
bearing  calcareous  sandstone  and  conglomerate  with  fine
siliciclastic interbeddings.

The Sarmatian succession starts with a 1.5-centimeter-

thick gravel bed. Upwards pelitic sediments can be observed
(Kozárd Formation), with a 1 mm-thick dacite tuff interbed-
ding at a depth of 1044.8 m.

North-east Hungary – W Borsod Basin, borehole Sáta-75

The basement of the area is made up of the north-western ex-

tensions  of  the  Paleozoic  and  Mesozoic  rocks  of  the  Bükk
Mountains, the eroded surface of which is overlain by Miocene
formations.  These  formations  can  be  followed  along  the
Darnó Line, with a NE-SW strike (Fig. 1). The Lower Miocene
is  represented  by  fluvial  and  marsh  sediments,  and  is  over-
lain  by  Karpatian  marine  deposits:  near-shore—coastal  plain
pebbly  sand  and  schlier.  In  the  southern  part  of  the  area
Lower  Badenian  pelitic  sediments  overlie  the  Karpatian
schlier  conformably,  whereas  in  the  North  a  considerable
hiatus  can  be  detected  between  them.  Miocene  successions
comprise  volcanic  rocks.  The  close  vicinity  of  borehole
Sáta-75 may have been an uplifted area during the Miocene.

Borehole Sáta-75 was drilled in NE Hungary, in the west-

ern part of the Borsod Basin in 1989, and a description has
been given by Radócz (unpublished well report; 2004).

The basal beds (234.0—264.6 m) of the Miocene succes-

sion are built up of terrigenous grey sand and pebbly sand

and basal breccia with clasts derived from the Mesozoic
basement, presumably of Eggenburgian age (Zagyvapálfalva
Formation).

The Ottnangian and Karpatian beds were penetrated from

88.0 to 234.0 m (Fig. 2). An exact boundary between the two
stages cannot be precisely drawn. The Ottnangian succession
is made up of sand, pebbly sand and clayey silt intersected
by clayey brown coal, coaly clay and huminitic silty sand
layers. The succession represents a paralic environment and
belongs to the Salgótarján Lignite Formation.

The Karpatian part of the succession is made up predomi-

nantly of clayey silt with sand interbeddings. The fine-grained
sediments  (Garáb  Schlier  Formation)  contain  molluscs  and
foraminifers.  From  159.8  to  189.7 m  grey,  calcareous  sand
with  scattered,  small  pebbles  can  be  found  (Egyházasgerge
Formation). However, Karpatian age has not been definitively
confirmed, the beds have been classified into this age mainly
on the basis of lithostratigraphic considerations.

The Lower Badenian is bounded by unconformities: the

uppermost part of the Lower Badenian has been cut by ero-
sion, and at its base (88.0 m) a tectonic contact is presumed
between the Karpatian and Lower Badenian successions:
several structural features were observed during the evalua-
tion of the sequence, which may have significantly reduced
the real thickness of the Badenian. Some Lower Badenian
successions drilled in the close vicinity of borehole Sáta-75
are more complete; their thicknesses are often twice as large
as in the Lower Badenian succession of Sáta-75.

The Lower Badenian section (Borsodbóta Formation) is

dominated by clayey silt and (tuffaceous) sandy silt compris-
ing Bathysiphon and holoplanktonic gastropod (pteropods)
remains (2.5—76.7 m). The lower part (76.7—88 m) is character-
ized by sand and tuffaceous, pebbly sand.

Pyroclastics within the Badenian marine succession can be

related to the Early Badenian rhyolite tuff explosion, the K/Ar
age of which is 14.8±0.3 Ma (Bohn-Havas et al. 1998; Radócz
2004). The “Middle Rhyolite Tuff” is present only in the form
of thin tuff strips within the following sections: 22.1—22.6 m
tuff  intercalation;  50.0—58.0 m  and  71.0—88.0 m  –  dust  tuff
and  tuffaceous  silt/sand  interbeddings.  K/Ar  datings  have
been  carried  out  on  pyroclastic  samples  derived  from  bore-
holes in the vicinity of Sáta-75, and the K/Ar age mentioned
is considered to be an average value for the time of the tuff
explosion.

Biostratigraphy

The following description contains only the most impor-

tant or stratigraphically significant foraminiferal and mollusc
taxa, the complete faunal list can be found in Bohn-Havas et
al. (2007) in 12 pages.

Sopron-89 borehole

Calcareous nannoplankton

Samples between 112.0 and 208.0 m contained no nanno-

fossils, although the lithofacies and the marine character of

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the sequence would mean no controversy to find nanno-
plankton in this interval.

Nannoplankton assemblages with medium diversity and

abundance occurred between 20.0 and 112.0 m. The interval
belongs to the NN5 nannoplankton Zone based on the almost
continuous presence of Sphenolithus heteromorphus Deflandre
and the lack of Helicosphaera ampliaperta Bramlette & Wil-
coxon. This biostratigraphical position is also confirmed by
the presence of Discoaster exilis Martini & Bramlette and
Discoaster musicus Stradner.

Foraminifera

Foraminifers were studied from 21.0 to 190.1 m in the bore-

hole, and 37 samples were collected at 4—5 m intervals. Be-
tween 105.3 and 190.1 m agglutinated taxa of low diversity
and abundance are predominant, such as Bathysiphon filifor-
mis  M.  Sars,  Haplophragmium  pseudospirale  Williamson,
Martinottiella communis d’Orbigny, accompanied by sporadic
Globigerina  sp.  (Fig. 3).  Besides  the  agglutinated  taxa  Para-
globorotalia  mayeri  (Cushman-Ellisor)  appears  at  105.3 m,
and the Globigerina species become more frequent.

In the interval from 21.0 to 59.0 m the diversity and abun-

dance of Globigerina and Globigerinoides increase, in addi-
tion two biostratigrafically significant species appear, the
Uvigerina macrocarinata Papp & Turnovsky at 55.0 m, and
the Orbulina suturalis Brönnimann at 50.0 m.

The Paragloborotalia mayeri, U. macrocarinata and O.

suturalis occur together in the interval from 21.0 to 50.0 m,
therefore the sediments between 21.0 and 59.0 m may have
been deposited during the late Early Badenian (Cicha et al.
1998; Rögl & Spezzaferri 2003; Ćorić et al. 2004, 2009).

Molluscs

Macrofaunal studies have been carried out from the sec-

tion  between  21.0  and  171.0 m.  Molluscs  have  been  found
only  in  the  clayey,  silty,  sandy  deposits  from  21.0  to
109.0 m,  and  besides  molluscs  echinoids  were  frequent  ac-
companied by trace fossils, coral and worm remains. The al-
ternating  sandy  silt,  sandstone  and  conglomerate  layers
between 109.0 and 171.0 m comprise only trace fossils.

In the silty sand and sandstone layers between 67.1 and

109.0 m (8 samples) Vaginella austriaca (Kittl) has been de-
tected above 86.0 m and very scarce, small, indet. molluscan
fragments and, more frequently, trace fossils of a great variety
were found.

The clayey-sandy silt succession between 21.0 and 67.1 m

(72  samples)  comprises  a  poorly  preserved  benthic  mollusc
fauna of small species and specimen number and a relatively
rich planktonic mollusc fauna (Fig. 3). The predominance of
pteropods such as Limacina valvatina (Reuss), (2.5—76.7 m)
Limacina  sp. 1,  Clio  fallauxi  (Kittl),  Vaginella  austriaca
(Kittl)  and  Diacrolinia aurita  (Bellardi)  as  well  as  carnivo-
rous  gastropods  (Nassarius,  Euspira,  Trigonostoma,  Fusus
and  Mitraefusus)  is  characteristic.  Bivalves  occurred  rarely
and only fragments of them have been found.

Benthic mollusc species are of long range and occur dur-

ing the Miocene, but the holoplanktonic gastropods (ptero-

pods) in the section from 21.0 to 86.0 m are considered to be
stratigraphically  significant.  Clio  fallauxi  and  Diacrolinia
aurita  are  present  only  in  layers  deposited  during  the  Early
Badenian  all  over  the  Central  Paratethys  realm  (Janssen  &
Zorn 1993; Bohn-Havas & Zorn 1993, 2002).

Nagylózs-1 borehole

Calcareous nannoplankton

The basal coarse-grained sediments contained no nanno-

fossils. Between 1297.0 and 1301.0 m nannofloras with me-
dium  diversity  occurred  containing  a  few  specimens  of  the
diagnostic  taxon  Sphenolithus  heteromorphus  Deflandre.
This  taxon  defines  the  nannoplankton  Zone  NN5,  because
Helicosphaera  ampliaperta  Bramlette  &  Wilcoxon  was
missing.  S.  heteromorphus  becomes  quite  rare  above
1297 m, and its highest stratigraphic position is at 1126.5 m,
defining  the  boundary  of  the  NN5/NN6  Zones.  Samples  of
the  Baden  Clay  Formation  yielded  euhaline  nannoplankton
assemblages of medium diversity and abundance. This inter-
val is one of the richest in nannofossils.

The nannoplankton assemblages above 1226 m are some-

what  poorer.  Abundance  of  Helicosphaera  kamptneri  (W.H.
Hay & H. Mohler) and Sphenolithus moriformis (Brönnimann
& Stradner) drop dramatically. The first occurrence of Umbel-
losphaera  irreguralis  Paasche  in  Markali  &  Paasche  and
Pontosphaera discopora Schiller at 1219 m refers to the high-
er part of Zone NN5. Above 1154 m both diversity and abun-
dance  of  the  nannofloras  increase.  New  floral  elements  are
Rhabdosphaera  pannonica  Báldi-Béke  and  Pontosphaera
multipora (Kamptner) Roth with much higher abundances.

The Lajta Limestone Formation is the last Badenian one

here. Since no specimens of the index fossil of nannoplank-
ton Zone NN7, Discoaster kugleri Martini & Bramlette have
been found, these beds belong to the Zone NN6 too.

Although basal Sarmatian beds still contain a few marine

species such as P. multipora, Cyclococcolithus macintyrei
Bukry & Bramlette, Reticulofenestra pseudoumbilica (Gartner),
Reticulofenestra haqii Backman, the predominance of
Braarudosphaera bigelowii (Gran & Braarud) indicates fluc-
tuating salinity if not brackish conditions.

Foraminifera

The foraminiferal fauna was investigated in 67 samples

from the Middle Miocene deposits from 1022.9 to 1303.2 m.
The  alternating  silty  and  coralline  algae  limestone  layers  be-
tween  1231.6  and  1303.2 m  contain  rich  planktonic  and
benthic fauna. In the silty sediments the globigerine taxa are
predominant  among  the  planktons,  Globigerina  bulloides
d’Orbigny and Globigerinoides trilobus (Reuss) are abundant,
as well as some other Globigerina species, which cannot be de-
termined  exactly  because  of  the  strong  encrustation  and  frag-
mentary preservation of the specimens. The first occurrence of
Orbulina suturalis Brönnimann has been detected at 1295.0 m,
and was represented by a few single specimens upward.

The Uvigerina semiornata semiornata d’Orbigny and U.

semiornata urnula d’Orbigny are the predominant benthic

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Fig. 3.

Magneto-

and

biostratigraphic

correlation

Badenian

sediment

Nagylózs-1,

Sopron-89

and

Sáta-75

boreholes.

ATNTS2004:

tronomically

Tuned

Neogene

Time

Scale

(Lourens

al.

2004a,b).

Black

–

normal

polarity,

white

–

reversed

polarity.

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species  here,  accompanied  by  species  that  are  insignificant
from a stratigraphic point of view due to their long range. In
the  coralline  algae-bearing  interbeddings  Amphistegina
mammilla (Fichtel & Moll) is frequent. An intense decreas-
ing  trend  in  abundance  and  diversity  have  been  recognized
between  1248.9  and  1215.4 m,  and  the  planktonic  species
disappear.  Most  foraminifers  have  been  recrystallized  and
encrusted.

The occurrence of O. suturalis and the planktonic associa-

tion suggests an Early Badenian age for the deposits between
1215.4 and 1303.2 m, and the younger part of Early Bade-
nian is likely (Fig. 3).

The section above 1215.4m up to 1193.8 m is character-

ized by the significant occurrence of Uvigerina venusta
Franzenau, together with a few specimens of Asterigerinata
planorbis (d’Orbigny) and Pseudotriloculina consobrina
(d’Orbigny). No foraminifers have been found in the section
from 1171.9 to 1193.8 m.

The sediments between 1082.3 and 1171.9 m contain a Bu-

limina elongata assemblage of low abundance and varying di-
versity. The determination of the species is difficult because of
the hard encrustation in the silty beds. Besides the B. elongata
d’Orbigny association Bolivina cf. dilatata (Reuss), Eponides
haidingerii  (d’Orbigny),  Quinqueloculina  sp.,  Fursenkoina
schreibersiana (Cžjžek) taxa of low abundance have been de-
tected. This fauna is much poorer than the fauna of the Bulim-
ina-Bolivina  assemblages  reported  from  the  Vienna  Basin,
and  from  boreholes  in  the  Mecsek  Mts  and  other  parts  of
Transdanubia (Papp et al. 1978; Korecz-Laky 1987).

In the sand and silt interbeddings of the coralline algae lime-

stone ranging from 1080.3 to 1082.3 m a great abundance of
Elphidium fichtelianum (d’Orbigny), E. crispum (Linnaeus),
B. elongata is typical, accompanied by U. venusta.

The joint occurrence of B. elongata and Bolivina dilatata

suggests a Late Badenian age of the sediments between
1069.9 and 1171.9 m. However, the precise identification of
the Early/Late Badenian boundary on the basis of foramini-
fers is difficult.

Foraminifers indicative of Sarmatian age appear at

1069.9 m.  The  Elphidium  hauerinum  d’Orbigny,  Bolivina
moravica Cicha & Zapletalová, association in the grey, silty,
clayey marl from 1031.9 to 1069.9 m has been assigned to the
Elphidium hauerinum Zone (Görög 1992). On the basis of the
foregoing  observations,  the  age  of  the  sediments  between
1031.9  and  1069.9 m  are  considered  to  be  Early  Sarmatian
s.s., but we have to emphasize the lack of the characteristic as-
sociation of the E. reginum Zone indicative of the basal beds
of the Early Sarmatian s.s. (Görög 1992; Tóth 2009).

Molluscs

Molluscs were studied between 1030.8 and 1305.5 m. Pelitic

sediments transected from 1030.8 to 1063.5 m comprise a typ-
ical  Sarmatian  fauna.  From  this  section  47  samples  were
examined.  The  mollusc  fauna  in  the  coralline  algae-bearing,
sandy and silty beds from 1082.0 to 1305.5 m is indicative of
the  Badenian,  and  62  samples  were  collected  here.  The
Badenian molluscs (bivalves) are predominant; in certain sec-
tions coralline algae can be found in rock-forming quantities.

In the alternating, pebbly, coralline algae limestone, con-

glomerate,  sandstone  and  sandy  silt  strata  from  1237.0  to
1305.5 m,  especially  within  1253.8—1302.4 m,  pectinids  are
predominant. They are characteristic of the Early Badenian ac-
cording to the Hungarian zonation (Bohn-Havas et al. 1987).
In the coralline algae-bearing sediments Flabellipecten solari-
um  (Lamarck),  Crassadoma  multistriata  (Poli),  Manupecten
fasciculatus  (Millet),  Aequipecten  elegans  (Andrzejowski),
Ae.  macrotis  (Sowerby),  Ae.  cf.  malvinae  (Dubois)  occur  al-
most  exclusively.  In  the  sandy,  silty  clay  beds  the  abundant
Lentipecten  denudatum  (Reuss)  is  typical.  No  molluscs  have
been identified over a long section above 1237.0 m.

A significant change in the fauna has been observed at

1181.8 m: the Nuculana, Megaxinus, Angulus association
appears. This association is frequent in the Badenian, and
contains long-range species.

The interval from 1083.1 to 1095.4 m is free of molluscs,

and  the  coralline  algae  limestone  between  1082.0  and
1083.1 m  comprises  recrystallized,  undetermined  pectinid
remnants.  The  silt,  coralline  algae  limestone  and  sandstone
strata above 1082.0 m are also free of molluscs.

The typical Sarmatian mollusc fauna appears at 1063.5 m,

the  striking  predominance  of  Inaequicostata  niger
(Zhizhchenko)  ( = Cardium  gleichenbergense  Papp)  have
been noted in the clay marls, this taxon is frequent and char-
acteristic of the Early Sarmatian s.s. It is noteworthy that the
Abra  reflexa  (Eichwald)  and  Inaequicostata  inopinata
(Grischkevitsch)  assemblage,  indicating  the  lowermost  part
of  the  Early  Sarmatian  in  Hungary  (Bohn-Havas  1983),  is
missing  here.  Additionally,  this  fauna  has  been  observed
only  in  similar  facies  of  the  earliest  Sarmatian  s.l.  (earliest
Volhynian) in both the Carpathian Foredeep Basin and Euxine-
Caspian  System  Basin  (Grischkevitsch  1961;  Kojumdgieva
1969; Studencka 1999).

A new fauna characteristic of the Late Sarmatian s.s. ap-

pears at 1049.4 m; the sediments contain small lymnocardi-
ids  such  as  Inaequicostata  suessi  (Barbot  de  Marny),  I.  pia
pia (Zhizhchenko), I. pia pestis (Zhizhchenko) and Obsoleti-
forma  sarmatica  (Kolesnikov)  accompanied  by  representa-
tives  of  the  genera  Musculus,  Modiolus,  Gastrana  and  Irus
which are common in the Sarmatian.

Summarizing the evaluation of the mollusc fauna, the age

of  the  deposits  between  1082.0  and  1305.5 m  is  Badenian,
and  between  1237.0  and  1305.5 m  it  is  Early  Badenian.  The
mollusc assemblages of the section from 1082.0 to 1237.0 m,
however,  do  not  allow  the  exact  determination  of  the  upper
boundary  of  the  Lower  Badenian.  Pelitic  sediments  between
1030.8  and  1063.5 m  comprise  a  fauna  indicating  an  Early
and probable early Late Sarmatian s.s. age.

Sáta-75 borehole

Calcareous nannoplankton

Most samples between 178.0 and 239.6 m were free of nan-

nofossils.  Sporadic  nannoplankton  assemblages  occurred  in
the samples from 235.0, 224.5 and 216.0 m, the predominant
nannoplankton  species  of  which  were  Coccolithus  pelagicus
(Wallich),  Reticulofenestra  minuta  Roth,  Reticulofenestra

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pseudoumbilica (Gartner) and Reticulofenestra haqii Backman.
A few specimens of Discoaster druggii Bramlette & Wilcoxon
also occurred at 235.0 m.

Nannoplankton assemblages between 91.4 and 166.0 m

indicate Zone NN4. Helicosphaera ampliaperta Bramlette &
Wilcoxon  occurs  quite  permanently,  while  Sphenolithus
heteromorphus  Deflandre  only  sporadically.  Although  the
assemblages  are  rather  poor,  Discoaster  adamanteus
Bramlette  &  Wilcoxon,  Discoaster  variabilis  Martini  &
Bramlette  and  Coronosphaera  mediterranea  (Lohmann)
Gaarder also show up.

Between 7.5 and 91.4 m the nannoplankton assemblages

refer to the Zone NN5. H. ampliaperta is missing here, but S.
heteromorphus has been found in almost all samples. Cocco-
lithus  miopelagicus  Bukry,  Umbilicosphaera  jafari  Müller,
Micrantholithus  vesper  Deflandre,  Discoaster  musicus
Stradner,  Discoaster  exilis  Martini  &  Bramlette  and  Rhab-
dosphaera  pannonica  Báldi-Béke  are  typical  and  quite  fre-
quent  elements  of  these  nannofloras.  Although  their  time
range  is  longer  than  Badenian,  they  occur  in  pre-Badenian
samples only very rarely and sporadically in Hungary.

Foraminifera

Along the section 80 samples were collected from 7.6 to

229.0 m. Two significantly distinct associations have been
observed in the borehole. The foraminiferal fauna between
75.5 and 229.0 m is almost exclusively represented by a few,
poorly preserved Ammonia beccarii (Linnaeus) and Florilus
boueanus (d’Orbigny) taxa (Fig. 3).

In the interval from 7.6 to 75.5 m Uvigerina macrocarinata,

Globigerinoides  trilobus,  Globorotalia  scitula,  Orbulina  sutu-
ralis association has been identified. In the lower part of this in-
terval  up  to  49.8 m,  planktonic  species  are  characterized  by
high diversity and abundance in the clayey silt, while upwards
the diversity and abundance show a decreasing trend (without
any  changes  in  the  composition  of  the  association).  The  pre-
dominating planktonic forms are as follows: Globorotalia scitu-
la  (Brady),  Globoquadrina  dehiscens  Chapman-Parr-Collins,
Globigerinoides  trilobus  (Reuss)  and  Globigerina  bulloides
d’Orbigny.  Orbulina  suturalis  Brönnimann  appears  in  this  as-
sociation at 72.4 m, and it is present up to 18.2 m although in
small numbers. Benthic assemblages are characterized by high
diversity,  but  low  abundance.  Their  significant  representatives
are  the  U.  macrocarinata  as  well  as  Lenticulina,  Bolivina,
Nodosaria, Hoeglundina and Bathysiphon taxa. The rich plank-
tonic  fauna  and  the  presence  of  O.  suturalis  and  U.  macro-
carinata Papp & Turnovsky clearly indicate that the sediments
between  7.6  and  75.5 m  accumulated  during  the  late  Early
Badenian. The lower part of the succession cannot be dated.

Molluscs

The mollusc fauna of the Miocene deposits was studied

between 7.6 and 240.2 m, with special regard to the abun-
dant Badenian holoplanktonic gastropods (pteropods).

From the interval between 98.6 and 240.2 m 22 samples

were collected. The Anadara-Corbula and Tellina assem-
blages are predominant in the alternating beds of silt, sand

and sandstone (Bohn-Havas et al. 2007). Similar assemblages
have been reported from Karpatian sediments from the adja-
cent boreholes in the Borsod Basin and some other holes in
N Hungary (Bohn-Havas & Nagymarosy 1985).

Along the Badenian section (7.6—76.7 m) 40 samples were

investigated. The alternating silt, sand and pebbly sand lay-
ers  are  characterized  by  the  predominance  of  gastropods,
mainly due to the abundance of the biostratigrafically signif-
icant  pteropods  (Fig. 3).  Vaginella  austriaca  (Kittl)  is  the
first  pteropod  that  appears  at  76.7 m,  followed  by  Clio  fal-
lauxi (Kittl), C. pedemontana (Mayer) and Diacrolinia aurita
(Bellardi)  at  58.6 m.  The  presence  of  V.  austriaca  and  the
rapid  increase  in  diversity  is  typical  of  the  younger  part  of
the  Early  Badenian  (Janssen  &  Zorn  1993;  Bohn-Havas  &
Zorn 1993, 2002).

Diversity and abundance of benthic molluscs are low. The

occurrence of Parvamussium duodecimlamellatum (Bronn)
also indicates an Early Badenian age (Bohn-Havas et al.
1987; Studencka et al. 1998).

Magnetostratigraphy

Sampling and laboratory procedures

Paleomagnetic samples were collected at 0.5 m intervals

from undisturbed and unaltered strata, except the limestones
in the Nagylózs-1 borehole, because dispersed metamorphic
particles were common in these rocks. The samples were cut
from the central parts of the cores and trimmed into cubical
shapes with a brass knife or diamond saw, then immediately
placed in plastic boxes and sealed. Altogether, 1270 oriented
samples were collected from the three holes.

The samples were processed at the joint laboratory of the

Geological  Institute  of  Hungary  and  the  Eötvös  Loránd
Geophysical Institute. Laboratory measurements employed a
two-axis  CCL  (Cryogenic  Consultants  Limited)  cryogenic
magnetometer. Following measurements of the natural rema-
nent  magnetization  (NRM),  a  series  of  pilot  samples  repre-
senting  different  lithologies,  depths  and  inclinations  were
selected for progressive alternating field (AF) demagnetiza-
tion.  The  samples  were  demagnetized  in  a  one-component
Schoenstedt demagnetizer up to 90 mT or until the intensity
decreased below the noise level of the magnetometer.

The demagnetization behaviour of the pilot samples is de-

picted in orthogonal demagnetization diagrams (Fig. 4A—D).
Most  samples  exhibited  two  components  of  magnetization
(Fig. 4A—B),  and  the  relatively  soft  secondary  magnetiza-
tions  disappeared  at  15—20 mT.  Most  pilot  samples  dis-
played  no  changes  in  polarity  with  demagnetization,  only
about  10  percent  of  the  inclinations  changed  polarity
(Fig. 4D). The majority of inclinations thus exhibited no hint
of  different  polarities  near  the  threshold  level  of  stability.
The  remaining  samples  from  Nagylózs-1  and  Sáta-75  bore-
holes were demagnetized in 15—25 mT and samples from the
Sopron-89  borehole  in  10—15 mT  because  the  magnetic  in-
tensity decreased near the noise level of the magnetometer at
higher demagnetization field (Fig. 4C). Samples that did not
contain stable directions were discarded. All samples below

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Fig. 4. Diagrams of demagnetization for samples: A – borehole Nagylózs-1 1122.9 m, B –
borehole Nagylózs-1, 1259.1 m; C – borehole Sopron-89, 187.6 m; D – borehole Sáta-75,
156.1 m; + – vertical plane;

•

– horizontal plane.

Fig. 5. Plots of inclinations and polarity
zones versus depth.

Chrons C5ADr, C5ADn, C5ACr and C5ACn (Fig. 3). This as-
signment is in accord with the average radiometric age of
14.8 ± 0.3 Ma obtained from several adjacent boreholes for the
rhyolite tuff observed only as thin tuff strips between 50 and
88 m in the Sáta-75 section (Bohn-Havas et al. 1998; Radócz
2004). The correlation of the polarity record below 78 m is

160 m in the Sáta-75 borehole were discarded because of a
lack of stable magnetic directions.

Micromineralogical studies indicate that detrital magnetite

is  the  principal  carrier  of  the  stable  magnetization  and  the
sources of the sediments included metamorphic rocks mainly
in the Eastern Alps and Western Carpathians (Thamó-Bozsó
2002).  Geological  studies  indicate  a  rapid  burial,  and  the
sediments  have  remained  undisturbed  and  unexposed  since
burial  and  the  strata  exhibited  a  grey  colour.  Additionally,
the abundant amphibole and biotite indicate minor weather-
ing  therefore  the  stable  directions  are  considered  to  reflect
original magnetization acquired during deposition.

The inclination plots and polarity zones of the three sec-

tions  are  shown  in  Fig. 5.  Reversals  controlled  by  a  single
sample  were  not  used  for  development  of  polarity  zonation.
The  inclination  records  in  the  Sáta-75  and  Sopron-89  bore-
holes are rather “noisy”. In Sáta-75 hole, the noise is a result
of dispersed tuff above 88 m and of strong secondary magne-
tizations in the sandy deposits in the lower part. In the Sopron-89
borehole,  the  noise  may  be  related  to  either  bioturbation  or
post-depositional magnetizations that have not been removed
completely in several samples because of the low demagnet-
ization field. Therefore the narrow, spurious polarity reversals
were excluded from the magnetostratigraphic correlations.

Correlation with the Astronomically Tuned Neogene Time
Scale (ATNTS2004)

The NN5/NN6 nannoplankton Zone boundary was detect-

ed at 1126.5 m in a reversed polarity zone in the Nagylózs-1
borehole  (Fig. 3),  and  it  has  been  dated  to  13.65 Ma  within
Chron  C5ABr  in  the  ATNTS2004  for  the  Mediterranean
(Lourens  et  al.  2004a,b).  The  base  of  the  polarity  record  in
the  Nagylózs-1  section  is  still  in  the  NN5  Zone,  and  the
NN4/NN5  boundary  is  in  C5Bn.1r  at  14.91 Ma  in  the
ATNTS2004. Thus, the polarity zones of the borehole have
been  correlated  straightforwardly  with  Subchrons  C5Bn.1r,
C5Bn.1n and Chrons C5ADr, C5ADn, C5ACr, C5ACn and
C5ABr.  The  normal  polarity  zones  above  1126.5 m  have
been assigned to Chrons C5ABn, C5AAn and C5An taking
into  account  the  slower  accumulation  of  the  limestone  and
additional  constraint  from  the  correlation  of  the  overlying

Pannonian (Late Miocene) part of the
section (Magyar et al. 2007).

The Sopron-89 sequence from 20 to

112 m belongs to the NN5 nannoplank-
ton Zone (Fig. 3), providing a temporal
window  that  allows  the  correlation  of
the  polarity  record  with  Chrons  C5Br,
C5Bn,  C5ADr,  C5ADn  and  C5ACr  in
the  polarity  time  scale.  The  short  nor-
mal  polarity  intervals  around  180  m
may  be  related  to  bioturbation  or  post-
depositional magnetizations.

A fracture zone was observed around

78 m in the Sáta-75 borehole within the
nannoplankton Zone NN5 during sam-
pling, therefore the polarity zones
above 78 m have been correlated with

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ambiguous due to the unconformities but the paleontological
data suggest that the age of the sediments below 98.6 m is
Karpatian.

Discussion

The base of the Badenian

The base of the Badenian, defined by the FAD of the ge-

nus Praeorbulina (Papp & Cicha 1978), is isochronous with
the base of the Langhian because of the same definition. The
astronomically  calibrated  age  for  the  Praeorbulina  FAD  in
the  ATNTS2004  is  16.27 Ma,  at  the  base  of  Subchron
C5Cn.1n  (Lourens  et  al.  2004b).  Although  the  base  of  the
Langhian  is  defined  by  the  FAD  of  Praeorbulina  in  their
text, this horizon is marked at the top of Subchron C5Cn.1n,
at 15.974 Ma in their fig. 21.1, without any comments (Lourens
et al. 2004a). We accept the original biostratigraphic defini-
tion  for  the  base  of  the  Badenian  and  consequently,  also  of
the Langhian, which was later re-calibrated to 16.303 Ma, at
the base of Subchron C5Cn.1r (EEDEN time scale; Kováč et
al. 2007). Recent revision and calibration of planktonic fora-
miniferal  bioevents  resulted  in  an  age  of  16.40 Ma  in  Sub-
chron  C5Cn.2n  for  the  FAD  of  Praeorbulina  (Wade  et  al.
2011).  Further  problems  of  the  Karpatian/Badenian  bound-
ary are discussed in Kováč et al. (2007).

No Karpatian diagnostic fossils have been identified in the

three  Hungarian  sections,  thus  the  Karpatian/Badenian
boundary cannot be determined. Additionally, Praeorbulina
has not been found in the sequences, suggesting the lack of
the basal beds of the Badenian. The base of the Baden Clay
Formation in the Nagylózs-1 borehole has been recorded at
about  15 Ma,  and  somewhat  earlier  in  the  Sopron-89  bore-
hole,  in  Chron  C5Br  (Fig. 3).  The  sedimentation  of  the  un-
derlying  basal  gravel  and  conglomerate  was  a  short  event,
thus the lower Lower Badenian deposits are missing here.

The gap in the sedimentation around the Karpatian/

Badenian boundary in the studied sections is not unique. The
genus Praeorbulina appeared together with the genus Orbulina
in  the  lowermost  Badenian  strata  of  the  Central  Pannonian
Basin  (e.g.  Kováč  et  al.  2007)  and  “continuous  sedimenta-
tion  from  Karpatian  to  Badenian  has  never  been  observed”
(Piller et al. 2007). The duration of the sedimentation gap at
the  Karpatian/Badenian  boundary  in  the  Styrian  Basin  has
recently  been  estimated  by  Hohenegger  et  al.  (2009),  and  a
gap of 400 kyr was obtained.

The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary

The Badenian/Sarmatian boundary was recorded at

1070 m in the Nagylózs-1 borehole (Figs. 2, 3), within a normal
polarity interval correlated with Chron C5AAn, and an age
of 13.15 Ma has been interpolated for the boundary.

Although the presence of Bolivina moravica indicates Ear-

ly  Sarmatian  s.s.  age  (Görög  1992),  the  lack  of  Elphidium
reginum  suggests  that  the  oldest  Lower  Sarmatian  deposits
corresponding to the lower part of E. reginum Zone are miss-
ing.  The  Abra  reflexa  and  Inaequicostata  inopinata  mollusc

assemblage, indicating the lowermost part of the Lower
Sarmatian s.s., is also missing here. The duration of the gap in
sedimentation can be estimated as 50—100 kyr. This hiatus is
in accord with the observation that a widespread unconformity
has been found around the Badenian/Sarmatian boundary in
the Central Paratethys (Piller et al. 2007; Lirer et al. 2009).

The previously estimated age of 13.0 Ma for the Badenian/

Sarmatian boundary (e.g. Rögl 1998; Harzhauser et al. 2003;
Ćorić et al. 2004) is close to the age of 13.15 Ma, proposed in
this work. Recently an age of 13.32 Ma has been obtained for
the boundary from power spectral studies (Lirer et al. 2009).
The small difference may be due to a mismatch in the compar-
ison between the eccentricity curve and the lithological
record, because the 65 m wavelength for the 100 kyr periodic-
ity in the 1118-m-thick Sarmatian sediments (Lirer et al. 2009;
Fig. 4) should give an age of 13.14 Ma for the boundary.

Harzhauser & Piller (2004) suggested an age of 12.7 Ma

for the Badenia+Sarmatian boundary, which contrasts with
all foregoing ages. The authors correlated the boundary with
an unconformity, and its age was estimated as 12.7 Ma by an
analogue, lacking any direct chronostratigraphic data. Unfor-
tunately, this tentative age has become general in the past
few years.

The Early/Late Badenian boundary

Recently Kováč et al. (2007) proposed the twofold subdivi-

sion  of  Badenian,  and  the  boundary  between  the  Early  and
Late Badenian is marked by the first appearance of the warm-
water planktonic foraminifer Velapertina indigena Łuczkowska
in  the  Central  Paratethys.  The  boundary  was  close  to  the
Langhian/Serravallian  boundary  at  13.65 Ma,  but  the  GSSP
of the Serravallian has been dated at 13.82 Ma (Hilgen et al.
2009).  The  Early/Late  Badenian  boundary  corresponds  to  a
3

order sequence stratigraphic boundary (Strauss et al. 2006;

Kováč et al. 2007). Vakarcs et al. (1994) also described and
traced a sequence boundary at 13.8 Ma in Hungary, although
this horizon cannot be seen in the seismic profile through the
Nagylózs-1 borehole (Magyar pers. comm.).

V. indigena occurs only in limited areas of the Central

Paratethys  (no  specimens  have  been  found  in  Hungary  yet),
therefore it cannot be used as a marker for practical purposes.
Its first appearance is somewhat younger than the NN5/NN6
boundary  at  13.65 Ma,  thus  the  Early/Late  Badenian  bound-
ary roughly correlates with the NN5/NN6 boundary. Howev-
er, the diagnostic taxon S. heteromorphus is sparse before its
last occurrence in many places. We suggest using the base of
the Bulimina-Bolivina Zone as an approximate marker for the
base  of  Upper  Badenian.  This  biohorizon  is  also  in  Chron
C5ABr in the Nagylózs-1 borehole, having an age of 13.7 Ma
(Fig. 3).  The  base  of  the  Bulimina-Bolivina  Zone  coincides
with the NN5/NN6 boundary in Harzhauser et al. (2003) and
Strauss  et  al.  (2006),  and  is  somewhat  younger  (13.5 Ma)  in
Kováč et al. (2007), Rögl et al. (2008) and Ćorić et al. (2009).

The first appearance of the Orbulina suturalis

The first occurrence of Orbulina suturalis ranges from

14.9 to 14.4 Ma in the studied sections reflecting the differ-

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2012, 63, 3, 219—232

ent developments and depositional environments of the sedi-
ments.  The  first  occurrence  of  O.  suturalis  has  been  ob-
served at a depth of 1295.0 m in the Nagylózs-1 borehole, in
Subchron  C5Bn.1r,  at  14.9 Ma  (Fig. 3).  This  position  and
age  is  not  in  agreement  with  the  Chron  C5ADr  and  age  of
14.74 Ma for the FAD of Orbulina in the ATNTS2004.

Although the age for the polarity zones in the ATNTS2004

were generally astronomically tuned, the reversal boundaries
between  23  and  13 Ma  were  interpolated  (Lourens  et  al.
2004a,b). Astronomical ages were determined for the calcar-
eous  nannofossil  and  planktonic  foraminiferal  events  in  the
equatorial  Atlantic  (ODP  Leg 154).  As  a  reliable  magneto-
stratigraphic record is lacking for the ODP Leg 154 sites, the
marine  magnetic  anomaly  profiles  between  Australia  and
Antarctic  were  chosen  for  establishing  a  high-precision  po-
larity time scale (Lourens et al. 2004a). This construction re-
sults  in  the  lack  of  direct  astronomical  ages  for  polarity
reversals as well as direct correlation between magnetostratig-
raphy  and  biostratigraphic  events  in  the  interval  23—13 Ma.
We note that an orbitally tuned time scale has been developed
for  Leg 154  sediments  in  the  Ocean  Drilling  Program,  and
15.1 Ma was determined for the base of O. universa ( = sutu-
ralis)  (Pearson  &  Chaisson  1997;  Table 1).  The  O.  suturalis
was not distinguished from  O. universa in the ODP Leg 154
sites because of poor preservation and dissolution (Pearson &
Chaisson 1997), and only O. universa is shown in Table A2.3
of ATNTS2004 (Lourens et al. 2004b). The O. suturalis, how-
ever, has been distinguished from O. universa in the Mediter-
ranean area, and the FAD of O. suturalis is the older.

An even younger age was obtained for the FAD of O.

suturalis  from  the  only  complete  polarity  record  between
15.8  and  13.2 Ma  in  the  Mediterranean  area,  in  Site 372
(DSDP  Leg 42A)  drilled  in  the  Balearic  Basin,  Western
Mediterranean Sea (Abdul Aziz et al. 2008). The FAD of O.
suturalis  was  observed  in  the  lowermost  part  of  Chron
C5ADn, at 14.56 Ma. Compared to the age of 14.9 Ma in the
Nagylózs-1  borehole,  this  datum  seems  to  be  too  young,
moreover, the age of 14.6 Ma in Chron C5ADr in the Sáta-75
section is still older than this.

The FAD of O. suturalis is significantly older in the time

scale  of  Berggren  et  al.  (1995),  marked  in  Subchron
C5Bn.2n,  at  15.1 Ma.  Recent  revision  and  calibration  of
planktonic  foraminiferal  bioevents  retained  the  age  of
15.1 Ma  in  Subchron  C5Bn.2n  for  the  base  of  O.  suturalis
(Wade et al. 2011). The polarity and biostratigraphic records
of DSDP Leg 73, Site 521 in the South Atlantic support this
age. Here the FAD of Orbulina spp. was also determined in
Subchron C5Bn.2n (Poore et al. 1984; Fig. 4), and according
to  ATNTS2004  its  age  is  now  15.1 Ma.  (Here  O.  universa,
O. suturalis and Biorbulina were recorded as Orbulina spp.
(Poore 1984).) Therefore, the first appearance of O. suturalis
in the Nagylózs-1 borehole in Subchron C5Bn.1r, at 14.9 Ma
is considered valid.

O. suturalis was an important zonal index taxon in the area

of the Central Paratethys: its first appearance datum marked
the boundary between the Lower and Upper Lagenidae
Zones (e.g. Cicha et al. 1998). Later it turned out that it al-
ready appeared in the Lower Lagenidae Zone (Ćorić et al.
2004, 2009; Kováč et al. 2007; Hohenegger et al. 2009). Due

to  the  different  correlations  concerning  the  first  appearance
datum  of  O.  suturalis  compared  to  the  boundaries  and  the
unambiguous facies dependency of the zones, authors do not
use  the  Lower  and  Upper  Lagenidae  Zones  for  the  division
of the Lower Badenian.

Pteropod events

The main advantage of the holoplanktonic gastropods

(pteropods) is their wide geographic distribution pattern. A
subgroup of the IGCP project 124 tested the planktonic mol-
luscs as useful tools for long distance correlation of marine
deposits, and biozonations have been developed for the
North Sea Basin (Janssen & King 1988) and for the Mediter-
ranean Sea Basin (Robba in Seneš 1985).

In the Karpatian, 3 species from 2 genera are known from

the area of the Central Paratethys, whereas 15 species from 8
genera appeared in the Early Badenian (Bohn-Havas & Zorn
2003). The Badenian pteropod fauna is rich in the Sopron-89
and Sáta-75 sections but totally missing from the Nagylózs-1
borehole. The first pteropod, which appears in Chron C5ADr
at  14.7 Ma  in  the  Sopron-89  and  Sáta-75  boreholes,  is  the
monospecific  Vaginella  austriaca.  An  abrupt  increase  in
diversity  happened  after  14.4 Ma  (Chron  C5ADn),  and  the
increasing diversity coincides with an increase in numbers of
specimens.  Here  Vaginella  austriaca  is  accompanied  by
Clio, Limacina and Diacrolinia species, and this assemblage
is  present  only  in  the  Early  Badenian  all  over  the  Central
Paratethys  (Janssen  &  Zorn  1993;  Bohn-Havas  &  Zorn
1993, 2002).

Conclusions

The magnetobiostratigraphic correlations indicate a hiatus

in the early period of the Early Badenian in the studied sec-
tions,  and  provide  ages  for  several  biostratigraphic  events
and  the  Badenian/Sarmatian  boundary,  as  well.  Although
paleogeography  is  outside  the  scope  of  this  study,  several
results of the correlations are worthy of remark.

First, the time intervals of sedimentation in the Sopron-89

and  Nagylózs-1  sequences  are  different,  even  though  they
are only 20 km apart. Accumulation of Badenian sediments
(excluding  the  basal  coarse-grained  sediments)  lasted  from
about  15.0 Ma  until  the  Sarmatian  in  the  Nagylózs-1  bore-
hole,  whereas  in  the  Sopron-89  borehole  the  sedimentation
began  earlier  and  terminated  at  14 Ma  (Fig. 3).  A  NW-SE
structure  transect,  based  on  seismic  profiles,  indicates  two
troughs between the Eisenstadt-Sopron (Sub-)Basin and the
Mihályi Ridge (Tari 1996). The original W-E seismic profile
through  the  Nagylózs-1  borehole  shows  a  structurally  ele-
vated block west of the borehole, and another east of it, both
covered  by  thin,  probably  Middle  Miocene  deposits  under
the  relatively  uniform  Pannonian  sediments  (Magyar  pers.
comm.).  The  multinational  residual  gravity  map  reveals  the
same morphology (Šefara & Szabó 1997; Fig. 3). These data
suggest that the sub-basin around Nagylózs belonged neither
to  the  Eisenstadt-Sopron  (Sub-)Basin  nor  to  the  Kisalföld
(Danube Basin) permanently during the Badenian.

230

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GEOLOGICA CARPATHICA, 2012, 63, 3, 219—232

Secondly, the first appearance of O. suturalis has been re-

corded at 14.9 Ma in the Nagylózs-1 sequence. The FAD of
O.  suturalis  was  observed  at  14.56 Ma  in  the  Western
Mediterranean  Sea,  at  Site 372  (Abdul  Aziz  et  al.  2008).  If
the 14.56 Ma is valid for the entire Western Mediterranean,
the  fauna  must  have  immigrated  from  another  direction  to
Nagylózs. By the time of the Badenian no connection existed
with the North Sea (e.g. Studencka et al. 1998; Harzhauser &
Piller 2007). Several possibilities for a marine seaway to the
Indo-Pacific are discussed by Rögl (1998), and he also pro-
posed a highly speculative seaway between the southern border
of the Black Sea plate and the Pontides in Anatolia. Such a
connection would explain why O. suturalis appeared earlier
in the Nagylózs-1 section than in Site 372.

Lourens et al. (2004a) noted that the astronomical tuning

in  the  23—13 Ma  interval  had  not  been  independently  veri-
fied. The FAD of O. suturalis was determined at 15.1 Ma, in
Subchron  C5Bn.2n  in  the  recent  calibration  of  Wade  et  al.
(2011). In the ATNTS2004, however, the FAD of Orbulina
is  at  14.74 Ma,  in  Chron  C5ADr  (Lourens  et  al.  2004a,b).
Moreover, 14.91 Ma is the age of the NN4/NN5 boundary in
the ATNTS2004. Since O. suturalis appears in the nannofos-
sil Zone NN5, the NN4/NN5 boundary should be older than
15.1 Ma,  as  marked  at  15.5 Ma  for  the  Mediterranean  area
by  Di  Stefano  et  al.  (2008).  In  addition,  an  age  of  15.8 Ma
was obtained for the NN4/NN5 boundary from an earlier as-
tronomical  tuning  for  the  ODP  Leg 154  in  the  equatorial
Atlantic (Shipboard Scientific Party 1995). These data suggest
that this part of the time scale needs reconsideration.

Acknowledgments: The authors thank Gy. Radócz for pro-
viding  valuable  information  on  borehole  Sáta-75.  We  also
thank  B.  Studencka  for  exact  data  on  the  taxonomy  of
Sarmatian  molluscs.  We  wish  to  acknowledge  the  thorough
and  helpful  reviews  from  B.  Studencka  and  J.  Hohenegger,
which  have  greatly  improved  the  manuscript.  The  authors
would  also  wish  to  thank  A.  Pentelényi,  P.  Kaszai  and  M.
Kaszai  for  their  work  in  drawing  the  text  figures  and  other
technical  assistance.  Parts  of  this  work  were  supported  by
the  National  Scientific  Research  Foundation  (OTKA),
Project Nos. 208, T 3411, T 014960 and T 034833.

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