Répartition des Noelaerhabdaceae (nannofossiles calcaires) dans le Quaternaire moyen et supérieur des océans Atlantique et Pacifique

Calcareous nannofossil assemblages of the family Noelaerhabdaceae have been studied in sediments of seventeen Quaternary cores raised from various climatic areas of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. These sections display a regular, hiatus-free sedimentation for the last 500000 years. They have been dated using oxygen-isotopic measurements, variations of calcium carbonate content, variations of total nannofossil abundance, thorium measurements and volcanic ash horizons. Coccoliths of the genus Gephyrocapsa have been placed in three distinct taxonomic groups, based on morphological criteria inferred from light-microscope observations. Their acmes, as well as the acme of Emiliania huxleyi, are considered as stratigraphic markers. These markers characterize most of the last thirteen glacial-interglacial climatic stages, as well as some climatic events of lower magnitude (8.5 and 6.5). Most of these markers have global stratigraphic significance: acme of ''closed'' Gephyrocapsa during stages 13,11 and 9, and during event 8.5; acme of ''small'' Gephyrocapsa during stage 7 and event 6.5; acme of ''open'' Gephyrocapsa at top of event 6.5, and during stages 5 and 3; acme of E. huxleyi during stages 3 and 1. Others are only valid south of the southernmost latitude reached by the North-Atlantic polar front during the Quaternary: acme of ''closed'' Gephyrocapsa during stage 12; acme of ''small'' Gepkyrocapsa in early and middle stage 5; acme of E. huxleyi during stage 2. Others are only valid south of 20-degrees-S: acme of ''small'' Gephyrocapsa at the 10/9 stage boundary; acme of ''open'' Gephyrocapsa during stage 6.