The stratigraphic significance of fission-track ages on volcanic ashes in the marine Late Cenozoic of southern California

Fission-track dates and planktonic microfossil datum levels provide a revised chronology for the marine Late Cenozoic of southern California. In southern California, the Pliocene/Pleistocene boundary has been placed at the first appearance of Globorotalia truncatulinoides within the Pico Formation, Balcom Canyon, Ventura County. A fission-track age on glass shards from the Bailey Ash close to this level yields a result of 1.12 +- 0.36m.y.B.P. (millions of years before present). In tropical deep-sea cores, however, G. truncatulinoides has been shown to evolve within the Gilsa Paleomagnetic event with an estimated age of 1.8 m.y.B.P. Thus, the appearance of G. truncatulinoides in southern California is cryptogenic and probably related to the delayed migration into this region of water-mass conditions suitable for this species. Two volcanic ashes from the upper part of the Malaga Formation, Malaga Cove, Los Angeles County, yielded fission-track data on glass shards of 4.42+- 0.57 m.y.B.P. (lower ash) and 3.364 +- 0.69 m.y.B.P. (upper ash). These dates in addition to inferred paleomagnetic ages of planktonic microfossil datum levels suggest that the Delmontian Stage of California ranges in age from approximately 6 to approximately 3 m.y.B.P. Therefore, the Miocene/Pliocene boundary considered by Berggren and Van Couvering to be approximately 5 m.y.B.P. must lie in the lower Delmontian Stage but paleontologic criteria for its recognition in California are not yet available. (Auth.)