The Middle Triassic magnetostratigraphy from the Peri-Tethys basin in Poland

The paper presents the first complete magnetic polarity scale obtained for the Middle Triassic of the northern Peri-Tethys area. The Roetian and Muschelkalk deposits of southern Poland (Upper Silesia, the Holy Cross Mountains) were studied paleomagnetically. The obtained paleopole ‘A’ (52°N, 143°E) fits well to the Middle Triassic (ca. 240 Ma) segment of the Stable European APWP. A set of various quality characteristic directions isolated in 106 samples was used for construction of the composite polarity scale. This Peritethyan scale has been tied with conodont zonation and referred to the scale erected earlier in the Tethyan realm. Comparison of both scales indicates that the whole Roetian succession in the southern Polish basin should be correlated with the latest Olenekian. The normal marine sedimentation ceased in the Polish basin as early as in the late Fassanian time. The obtained magnetostratigraphic scale combined with the sequence stratigraphic framework enables a reliable chronological correlation of the late Olenekian–Ladinian succession over the entire Peri-Tethys Basin.