Abstract

We provide new paleomagnetic data for three densely-sampled cores from locations in the southern Alberta plains. The ages of the sampled intervals are well constrained by previous biostratigraphic studies, and record upper Santonian through middle Campanian deposition. The positions of magnetochron C33r and its bounding reversals C34n-C33r and C33r-C33n were determined using a rigorous paleomagnetic workflow, which included thermal dependent magnetic susceptibility and hysteresis experiments, in addition to standard remanent magnetization measurements. In total, approximately 1100 discrete samples were analyzed, representing 387 sites (depths) selected from 564 m of core. Chron reversals C34n-C33r and/or C33r-C33n occur in all three cores and provide two regional time-stratigraphic markers which facilitate robust age correlation between important hydrocarbon bearing units in southern Alberta, including the prolific Alderson Member. Several short normal polarity intervals within C33r, a zone usually associated with exclusively reversed polarity, are observed.