Magnetobiostratigraphy and stable isotope record of Paleocene sediments from ODP Hole 122-761B in the subtropical Indian Ocean

Although Site 761 was situated at low latitudes during the Paleocene, its surface waters were predominantly influenced by circulation originating from the Southern Ocean as indicated by inferred cool sea surface temperatures and reduced surface to deep water temperature gradients. We suggest that deep waters in the eastern Indian Ocean were not directly fed by the Southern or Tethys Oceans. Rather, the more negative delta13C composition of the bottom waters recorded by benthic foraminifera implies the presence and/or active contribution of aged deep waters from the Pacific during this time, at least prior to ~60.2 Ma and subsequent to ~59.0 Ma.

The Indian continent, Ninetyeast Ridge, Kerguelen Plateau and Broken Ridge may have played a significant role as submarine barriers to deep water circulation during the Paleocene.