Stratigraphy of early to middle Eocene hyperthermals from Possagno (Southern Alps, Italy) and comparison with global carbon isotope records

The late early Eocene to middle Eocene similar to 51-45 Million years ago (Ma) time interval in the middle bathyal, pelagic/hemipelagic succession of the western Tethys Possagno section in the Carcoselle quarry (Southern Alps, northeastern Italy), contains several episodes of negative carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) and concomitant dissolution of carbonates. Comparison with previously published carbon isotope records from deep-sea successions allows the identification of long-term trends and short-term events in our record, which provides a sound chemostratigraphic basis for correlation against the robust bio- and magnetostratigraphic scheme available for the studied succession and additional evidence of the global significance of the long-term trend and superposed perturbations tracked changes in delta C-13 values.