Orbital pacing of the early Eocene source rock deposition in Tunisia (Bou Dabbous Formation): Astrobiochronological insights into cyclicities through surface-subsurface integration

Abstract

The Early Eocene Bou Dabbous Formation (BDF) source rock is an economically important source rock in the SW Neo-Tethys covering most of the Ypresian outer ramp to basin deposits in Tunisia. The main rock types of the BDF in central Tunisia include globigerinids-rich grey to black laminated marl and limestone, which occur with an obvious cyclicity at astronomical timescales. This study examines two high-resolution borehole records from northern and eastern Tunisia and an outcrop analog in central Tunisia. The datasets examined were total organic carbon (TOC), magnetic susceptibility, CaCO₃, δ¹³C, δ¹⁸O, and Gamma-Ray (GR). We aim to investigate the relationship between the rhythmic patterns observed at the BDF outcrop and the Milankovitch cycles and contextualize the findings within the Ypresian Astrochronological Time Scale (YATS). Additionally, we will discuss the impact of astronomical forcing on sea-level variations and the upwelling system during a greenhouse world. Field measurements and power spectra of the untuned data reveal a hierarchy of cycles throughout the BDF with ∼11.1 m, 4.1, 2.4 m, 1.1 m, and 0.6 m wavelengths. Tuning the 11.1 m cycles to the 405 kyr eccentricity cycle, the astronomical parameters—eccentricity, obliquity, and the precession index—become apparent. The 405 kyr eccentricity cycle is linked to relative sea-level changes inferred from sequence stratigraphy analysis and sedimentary noise modeling. Periods with increased TOC are associated with strong obliquity forcing inferred from the power decomposition analysis and the strong 173-kyr obliquity modulation cycles. The Ypresian record from Tunisia demonstrates the orbital pacing on the strength of the upwelling system, by affecting both the sea level and the climatic belt (wind regime). From 53.89 Ma to 53.2 Ma (TOC >2 wt %), our model demonstrates that obliquity-driven changes in water stratification led to episodes of varying oxygen levels at the bottom of the basin, affecting organic matter decay and preservation. During the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum, changes in climatic belts and wind patterns, along with rising sea levels, led to a shift in the high organic matter accumulation zone. This resulted in a weakened upwelling system in central Tunisia and reduced organic matter accumulation (TOC <0.5 wt%).