AGE MODELS AND SPLICES

Age models for the benthic isotope stratigraphies (Fig. 3) were constructed by graphical correlation to the SPECMAP stack time series age model (Martinson et al., 1987) using the commercially available software Corpac run on a Sun SPARCstation 10 workstation. Tie points between the SPECMAP ¹⁸O stratigraphy and the oxygen isotopic time series generated in this study were visually established. Subsequent fine-scale adjustments were made via sinusoidal mapping function correlation (Martinson et al., 1987) after stage identifications were established. Correlation between the SPECMAP stack and all three stratigraphies for sites was high (r > 0.93).

At the time that this report was written, the Hole 1018C record contains gaps from missing material between cores and intervals barren of benthic foraminifers. Gaps in the isotope record from Hole 1012B were filled with isotopic data from samples from adjacent Hole 1012A. Because there are only very small gaps in the isotope record from Hole 1011C resulting from missing material between cores, the isotope record from the single hole yields a seemingly continuous, evenly spaced record.