This proposal seeks to develop a high-resolution, astronomically-tuned time series for the Eocene based on the isotopic compositions of foraminfera obtained from cores drilled during IODP exp. 342 (Newfoundland Drifts). This series will fill a gap (Eocene Gap) in the cyclostratigraphic record and enable the development of a complete orbitally-resolved Cenozoic record. This is one of the primary objectives of exp. 342. This work will also enable the examination of orbital-scale response and sensitivity of the carbon cycle during the Eocene and by comparison with data obtained in the Pacific Ocean, determine whether or not events such as the deepening of the CCD were global in extent. The Eocene is a particularly critical time for climate studies as it spans the time between the early Cenozoic greenhouse and the later Cenozoic icehouse. The Eocene is a particularly critical time for climate studies as it spans the time between the early Cenozoic greenhouse and the later Cenozoic icehouse. The information provided by this work will help to constrain and evaluate the causes of global climate change at a particularly crucial time in Earth history.
