Comment on "New radiometric dating of volcanic ash layers in Periadriatic foredeep basin system, Italy"

Abstract

Bigazzi et al. (2000) report new geochronological data (fission-track dating) from two volcanic ash marker layers interbedded in Upper Miocene (Messinian) -Early Pleistocene sedimentary sequences in three sites from the Adriatic side of the Italian peninsula. As Bigazzi and co-authors correctly state, these data have the potential for the establishment of sound regional chronostratigraphic markers. Unfortunately, the entire stratigraphic framework in which the new fission-track analyses are considered by Bigazzi et al. (2000) was superseded by several studies conducted in the past decade and this limits the actual potential use of the new results. We stress in this note some necessary clarifications.