GeologicTimeScale2020
Editedby FelixM.Gradstein
GabiM.Ogg
JamesG.Ogg MarkD.Schmitz
Elsevier
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Quotes
ToplaceallthescatteredpagesofEarthhistoryintheirproperchronological orderisbynomeansaneasytask.
ArthurHolmes
Thefascinationincreatinganewgeologictimescaleisthatitevokesimagesof creatingabeautifulcarpetbymanyskilledhands.Allstitchesmustconformtoa pre-determinedpattern,inthiscasethepatternofphysical,chemicalandbiological eventsonEarthalignedalongthearrowoftime.
Thisbook—Foreword
Volume1
Contributorsxi
Editors’Biographiesxv Prefacexvii
Abbreviationsandacronymsxix
PartI
Introduction1
1. Introduction3
F.M.Gradstein
2. TheChronostratigraphicScale21
F.M.GradsteinandJ.G.Ogg
PartII
ConceptsandMethods33
3. EvolutionandBiostratigraphy35
CoordinatedbyF.M.Gradstein
3A.Trilobites36
S.Peng,L.E.BabcockandP.Ahlberg
3B.Graptolites43
J.Zalasiewicz,M.WilliamsandA.Rushton
3C.Chitinozoans50
A.Butcher
3D.Conodonts56
C.M.Henderson
3E.Ammonoidea61
A.S.Gale,D.Korn,A.J.McGowan, J.CopeandC.Ifrim
3F.Calcareousnannofossils69
D.K.WatkinsandI.Raffi
3G.Planktonicforaminifera74
M.R.Petrizzo,B.S.Wadeand F.M.Gradstein
3H.Largerbenthicforaminifera88 M.D.Simmons
3I.Dinoflagellates99 R.A.FensomeandD.K.Munsterman
3J.Plants,spores,andpollen109 H.Kerp,G.Mangerudand S.R.Gradstein
3K.Cretaceousmicrocrinoids122 A.S.Gale
3L.Threemajormassextinctionsand evolutionaryradiationsin theiraftermath125 S.Esmeray-Senlet
4. Astrochronology139
J.Laskar
5. GeomagneticPolarityTime Scale159
J.G.Ogg
6. RadioisotopeGeochronology193
M.D.Schmitz,B.S.SingerandA.D.Rooney
7. StrontiumIsotopeStratigraphy211
J.M.McArthur,R.J.Howarth,G.A.Shields andY.Zhou
8. OsmiumIsotopeStratigraphy239
B.Peucker-EhrenbrinkandG.E.Ravizza
9. SulfurIsotopeStratigraphy259
A.Paytan,W.Yao,K.L.FaulandE.T.Gray
10. OxygenIsotopeStratigraphy279
E.L.GrossmanandM.M.Joachimski
11. CarbonIsotopeStratigraphy309
B.D.CramerandI.Jarvis
12. InfluenceofLargeIgneousProvinces345
R.E.Ernst,D.P.G.BondandS.H.Zhang
13. PhanerozoicEustasy357
M.D.Simmons,K.G.Miller,D.C.Ray, A.Davies,F.S.P.vanBuchemandB.Gre ´ selle
14. Geomathematics401
14A.GeomathematicalandStatistical Procedures402
F.P.Agterberg,A-C.DaSilvaand F.M.Gradstein
14B.GlobalCompositeSections andConstrainedOptimization425 P.Sadler
PartIII
GeologicPeriods:Planetaryand Precambrian441
15. ThePlanetaryTimeScale443 H.HiesingerandK.Tanaka
16. Precambrian(4.56 1Ga)481
R.Strachan,J.B.Murphy,J.Darling,C.Storey andG.Shields
17. TheTonianandCryogenianPeriods495 G.Halverson,S.PorterandG.Shields
18. TheEdiacaranPeriod521 S.H.XiaoandG.M.Narbonne
Abbreviationsandacronymsxi
PartIV
GeologicPeriods:Phanerozoic563
19. TheCambrianPeriod565
S.C.Peng,L.E.BabcockandP.Ahlberg
20. TheOrdovicianPeriod631
D.Goldman,P.M.SadlerandS.A.Leslie
21. TheSilurianPeriod695
M.J.Melchin,P.M.SadlerandB.D.Cramer
22. TheDevonianPeriod733
R.T.Becker,J.E.A.MarshallandA.-C.DaSilva
23. TheCarboniferousPeriod811
M.Aretz,H.G.HerbigandX.D.Wang
24. ThePermianPeriod875
C.M.HendersonandS.Z.Shen
25. TheTriassicPeriod903
J.G.OggandZ.-Q.Chen
26. TheJurassicPeriod955
S.P.Hesselbo,J.G.OggandM.Ruhl
27. TheCretaceousPeriod1023
A.S.Gale,J.MutterloseandS.Batenburg
28. ThePaleogenePeriod1087
R.P.Speijer,H.Palike,C.J.Hollis,J.J.Hooker andJ.G.Ogg
29. TheNeogenePeriod1141
I.Raffi,B.S.WadeandH.Palike
30. TheQuaternaryPeriod1217
P.L.GibbardandM.J.Head
31. TheAnthropocene1257
J.Zalasiewicz,C.WatersandM.Williams
Appendix1:Recommendedcolor codingofstages1281
Appendix2:Radioisotopicagesused inGTS20201285 Index1351
Contributors
Seniorauthors
FelixM.Gradstein,GeologicalMuseum,Universityof Oslo,P.O.Box1172Blindern,N-0318Oslo,Norway, felix.gradstein@gmail.com
JamesG.Ogg,StateKeyLaboratoryofOilandGas ReservoirGeologyandExploitation,Instituteof SedimentaryGeology,ChengduUniversityof Technology,Chengdu,610059,China, jogg@purdue.edu
MarkD.Schmitz,DepartmentofGeosciences,Boise StateUniversity,1910UniversityDrive,Boise,Idaho, 83725-1535,USA, markschmitz@boisestate.edu
GabiM.Ogg,GeologicTimeScaleFoundation,1224N. SalisburySt.,WestLafayette,Indiana,47906,USA, gabiogg@hotmail.com
FritsP.Agterberg,GeologicalSurveyofCanada,601 BoothStreet,Ottawa,Ontario,K1AOE8,Canada, Frits.Agterberg@NRCan-RNCan.gc.ca
MarkusAretz,LaboratoireGe ´ osciencesEnvironnement, Universite ´ deToulouse,CNRS,IRD,UPS,31400 Toulouse,France, markus.aretz@get.omp.eu
ThomasR.Becker,Geologisch-Pala ¨ eontogischesInstitut, WestfalischeWilhelm-Universitat,Correnstrasse24, D-48149Munster,Germany, rbecker@uni-muenster.de
AnthonyButcher,SchooloftheEnvironment, GeographyandGeosciences,Universityof Portsmouth,Portsmouth,PO13QL,UK, anthony. butcher@port.ac.uk
BradleyD.Cramer,EarthandEnvironmentalSciences, UniversityofIowa,IowaCity,Iowa,52242,USA, bradley-cramer@uiowa.edu
RichardE.Ernst,DepartmentofEarthSciences, CarletonUniversity,Ottawa,Ontario,K1S5B6, Canada, richard.ernst@ernstgeosciences.com
SelenEsmeray-Senlet,ChevronEnergyandTechnology Company,1500LouisianaSt.,Houston,Texas,77002, USA, selenesmeray@chevron.com
RobA.Fensome,GeologicalSurveyofCanada (Atlantic),NaturalResourcesCanada,Dartmouth,Nova Scotia,B2Y4A2,Canada, rob.fensome@canada.ca
AndrewS.Gale,SchooloftheEnvironment,Geography andGeosciences,UniversityofPortsmouth, Portsmouth,PO13QL,UK, andy.gale@port.ac.uk
PhilipL.Gibbard,DepartmentofGeography, UniversityofCambridge,Cambridge,CB23EN,UK, plg1@cam.ac.uk
DanielGoldman,DepartmentofGeology,Universityof Dayton,Dayton,Ohio,45469,USA, dgoldman1@udayton.edu
EthanL.Grossman ,DepartmentofGeology& Geophysics,TexasA&MUniversity,College Station,Texas,77843-3115,USA, e-grossman@tamu.edu
GalenP.Halverson,DepartmentofEarthandPlanetary Sciences,McGillUniversity,Montre ´ al,Que ´ bec,H3A 0E8,Canada, galen.halverson@mcgill.ca
CharlesM.Henderson,DepartmentofGeoscience, UniversityofCalgary,Calgary,Alberta,T2N1N4, Canada, cmhender@ucalgary.ca
StephenP.Hesselbo,CamborneSchoolofMines, UniversityofExeter,Penryn,TR109FE,UK, S.P. Hesselbo@exeter.ac.uk
HaraldHiesinger,Institutfu ¨ rPlanetologie,Westfa ¨ lische Wilhelms-UniversitatMunster,D-48149Munster, Germany, hhies_01@uni-muenster.de
HansKerp,InstitutfurGeologieundPalaontologie, WestfalischeWilhelms-Universitat,D-48143Mu ¨ nster, Germany, kerp@uni-muenster.de
JacquesLaskar,IMCCE,ObservatoiredeParis,77Av. Denfert-Rochereau,75014Paris,France, jacques.laskar@obspm.fr
JohnM.McArthur,[Chemostratigraphycoordinator forGTS2020],DepartmentofEarthSciences,University CollegeLondon,GowerStreet,London,WC1E6BT, UK, j.mcarthur@ucl.ac.uk
MichaelJ.Melchin,DepartmentofEarthSciences,St. FrancisXavierUniversity,Antigonish,NovaScotia, B2G2W5,Canada, mmelchin@stfx.ca
AdinaPaytan,DepartmentofEarthandPlanetary Sciences,UniversityofCaliforniaSantaCruz,1156 HighSt,SantaCruz,California,95064,USA, apaytan@ucsc.edu
ShanchiPeng,NanjingInstituteofGeologyand Palaeontology,TheChineseAcademyofSciences,39 EastBeijingRoad,Nanjing,210008,China, scpeng@nigpas.ac.cn
MariaRosePetrizzo,DepartmentofEarthSciences “ArditoDesio”,Universita ´ degliStudidiMilano,Via Mangiagalli,3420133Milano,Italy, mrose.petrizzo@unimi.it
BernhardPeucker-Ehrenbrink,WoodsHoleOceanographicInstitution,WoodsHole,Massachusetts, 02543-1541,USA, behrenbrink@whoi.edu
IsabellaRaffi,DipartimentodiIngegneriaeGeologia, Universita ` “G.d’Annunzio”diChieti-Pescara,I-66013 ChietiScalo,Italy, raffi@unich.it
PeterM.Sadler,DepartmentofEarthSciences, UniversityofCalifornia,Riverside,Riverside, California,92521,USA, peter.sadler@ucr.edu
MatthewR.Saltzman,SchoolofEarthSciences,Ohio StateUniversity,Columbus,Ohio,43210-1398,USA, saltzman.11@osu.edu
GrahamA.Shields,DepartmentofEarthSciences, UniversityCollegeLondon,London,WC1E6BT,UK, g.shields@ucl.ac.uk
MichaelD.Simmons,Halliburton,97MiltonPark, Abingdon,OX144RY,UK, mike.simmons@halliburton.com
RobertP.Speijer,DepartmentofEarthand EnvironmentalSciences,K.U.Leuven,B-3001 Leuven,Belgium, Robert.Speijer@ees.kuleuven.be
RobStrachan,SchooloftheEnvironment,Geography andGeosciences,UniversityofPortsmouth, Portsmouth,PO13QL,UK, rob.strachan@port.ac.uk
DavidK.Watkins,DepartmentofEarth&Atmospheric Sciences,UniversityofNebraska,Lincoln,Nebraska, 68588-0340,USA, dwatkins1@unl.edu
ShuhaiXiao,DepartmentofGeosciences,Virginia PolytechnicInstituteandStateUniversity,4044 DerringHall,Blacksburg,Virginia,24061-0420,USA, xiao@vt.edu
JanZalasiewicz,DepartmentofGeology,Universityof Leicester,Leicester,LE17RH,UK, jaz1@leicester.ac.uk
Co-authors
PerAhlberg,DepartmentofGeology,So ¨ lvegatan12, SE-22362Lund,Sweden, per.ahlberg@geol.lu.se
LorenE.Babcock,SchoolofEarthSciences,OhioState University,Columbus,Ohio,43210,USA, babcock.5@osu.edu
SietskeJ.Batenburg,GeosciencesRennes,Universite ´ deRennes,UMR6118,35000Rennes,France, sbatenburg@gmail.com
DavidP.G.Bond,DepartmentofGeography, EnvironmentandEarthSciences,UniversityofHull, Hull,HU67RX,UK, d.bond@hull.ac.uk
Zhong-QiangChen,StateKeyLaboratoryof BiogeologyandEnvironmentalGeology,Schoolof EarthSciences,ChinaUniversityofGeosciences, Wuhan,430074,China, zhong.qiang.chen@cug. edu.cn
JohnCope,DepartmentofNaturalSciences,National MuseumWales,CardiffCF103NP,UK, john. cope@nmgw.ac.uk
Anne-ChristineDaSilva,Pe ´ trologiese ´ dimentaire,B20, Ge ´ ologie,Universite ´ deLie ` ge,B-4000Lie ` ge, Belgium, ac.dasilva@uliege.be
JamesDarling,SchooloftheEnvironment,Geography andGeosciences,UniversityofPortsmouth, PortsmouthPO13QL,UK, james.darling@port.ac.uk
AndrewDavies,Halliburton,MiltonPark,Abingdon, OX144RW,UK, andrew.davies@halliburton.com
KristinaL.Faul,ChemistryDepartment,MillsCollege, 5000MacArthurBlvd,Oakland,California,94613, USA, kfaul@mills.edu
StephanR.Gradstein,Muse ´ umNationald’Histoire Naturelle,DepartmentSyste ´ matiqueetEvolution,57 rueCuvier,75231Pariscedex05,France, gradstein@mnhn.fr
EllenT.Gray,EarthandPlanetaryScience,University ofCaliforniaSantaCruz,SantaCruz,California, 95064,USA, eltgray@gmail.com
BenjaminGre ´ selle,Halliburton,MiltonPark, Abingdon,OX144RW,UK, benjamin.greselle@halliburton.com
MartinJ.Head,DepartmentofEarthSciences,Brock University,St.Catharines,OntarioL2S3A1,Canada, mjhead@brocku.ca
Hans-GeorgHerbig,UniversitatzuKoln,Institutfur GeologieundMineralogie,50674Ko ¨ ln,Germany, herbig.paleont@uni-koeln.de
AndrewC.Hill,CentrodeAstrobiologı´a(INTA-CSIC), InstitutoNacionaldeTe ´ cnicaAeroespacial,28850 Torrejo ´ ndeArdoz,Madrid,Spain, andrew.hill@cliffsnr.com
ChristopherJ.Hollis,GNSScience,LowerHutt,5040, NewZealand, c.hollis@gns.cri.nz
JerryJ.Hooker,DepartmentofPalaeontology,Natural HistoryMuseum,London,SW75BD,UK, j.hooker@nhm.ac.uk
RichardJ.Howarth,DepartmentofEarthSciences, UniversityCollegeLondon,London,WC1E6BT,UK, r.howarth@ucl.ac.uk
ChristinaIfrim,InstitutfurGeowissenschaften, Ruprecht-Karls-UniversitatHeidelberg,Im NuenheimerFeld234,69120Heidelberg,Germany, christina.ifrim@geow.uni-heidelberg.de
IanJarvis,DepartmentofGeography,Geologyand theEnvironment,KingstonUniversityLondon, KingstonuponThamesKT12EE,UK, I. Jarvis@kingston.ac.uk
MichaelM.Joachimski,GeoZentrumNordbayern, LithosphereDynamics,Friedrich-AlexanderUniversitatErlangen-Nurnberg,91054Erlangen, Germany, michael.joachimski@fau.de
ClarkM.Johnson,DepartmentofGeoscience, UniversityofWisconsin-Madison,1215WDaytonSt., Madison,Wisconsin,53706,USA, clarkj@geology. wisc.edu
DieterKorn,LeibnizInstituteforResearchonEvolution andBiodiversity,HumboldtUniversityBerlin,10115 Berlin,Germany, dieter.korn@mfn-berlin.de
StephenA.Leslie,DepartmentofGeologyand EnvironmentalScience,JamesMadisonUniversity, MSC6903,Harrisonburg,Virginia,22807,USA, lesliesa@jmu.edu
Breanda ´ nA.MacGabhann,EarthandOceanSciences, NationalUniversityofIreland,Galway,Galway, Ireland, b.macgabhann1@nuigalway.ie
GunnMangerud,DepartmentofEarthScience, UniversityofBergen,N-5020Bergen,Norway, Gunn. Mangerud@uib.no
JohnE.Marshall,NationalOceanographyCentre Southampton,SouthamptonSO143ZH,UK, jeam@soton.ac.uk
AlistairJ.McGowan,BioGeoD,23Glendinning Crescent,Edinburgh,Scotland,EH166DR,UK, biogeod@gmail.com
KenG.Miller,DepartmentofEarth&Planetary Sciences,RutgersUniversity,Piscataway,NewJersey, 08854,USA, kgm@rutgers.edu
DirkK.Munsterman,T.N.O.Princetonlaan6,3508TA Utrecht,TheNetherlands, Dirk.munsterman@tno.nl
BrendanJ.Murphy,DepartmentofEarthSciences,St FrancisXavierUniversity,Antigonish,NovaScotia, B2G2W5,Canada, bjmurphy@stfx.ca
JoergMutterlose,InstitutfuerGeologie,Mineralogie undGeophysik,44801Bochum,Germany, joerg.mutterlose@rub.de
GuyM.Narbonne,DepartmentofGeologicalSciences &GeologicalEngineering,Queen’sUniversity, Kingston,Ontario,K7L3N6,Canada, narbonne@geol. queensu.ca
HeikoPa ¨ like,MARUMCenterforMarine EnvironmentalScience,UniversitatBremen,D-28359 Bremen,Germany, hpaelike@marum.de
SusannahM.Porter,DepartmentofEarthScience, UniversityofCaliforniaSantaBarbara,SantaBarbara, California,93106-9630,USA, porter@geol.ucsb.edu
GregoryE.Ravizza,DepartmentofGeology& Geophysics,UniversityofHawaiiatManoa,Honolulu, Hawaii,96822,USA, ravizza@hawaii.edu
DavidC.Ray,Halliburton,97MiltonPark,Abingdon, OX144RY,UK, david.ray@halliburton.com
AlanD.Rooney,DepartmentofGeologyand Geophysics,YaleUniversity,NewHaven, Connecticut,06520-8109,USA, alan.rooney@yale.edu
MichaRuhl,DepartmentofGeology,TrinityCollege, Dublin2,Ireland, Micha.Ruhl@tcd.ie
AdrianRushton,DepartmentofEarthSciences,The NaturalHistoryMuseum,London,SW75BD,UK, awarparadox@waitrose.com
Shu-ZhongShen,NanjingInstituteofGeologyand Palaeontology,39EastBeijingRoad,Nanjing,210008, China, szshen@nigpas.ac.cn
BradS.Singer,TheDepartmentofGeoscience, UniversityofWisconsin-Madison,Madison,Wisconsin, 53706-1692,USA, bsinger@geology.wisc.edu
CraigStorey,SchooloftheEnvironment,Geography andGeosciences,UniversityofPortsmouth, PortsmouthPO13QL,UK, craig.storey@port.ac.uk
KenTanaka,4214NFanningDr.,Flagstaff,Arizona, 86004,USA, tanaka@npgcable.com
FransS.VanBuchem,Halliburton,MiltonPark, Abingdon,OX144RW,UK, frans.vanbuchem@halliburton.com
BridgetS.Wade,DepartmentofEarthSciences, UniversityCollegeLondon,London,WC1E6BT,UK, b.wade@ucl.ac.uk
XiangdongWang,NanjingUniversity,SchoolofEarth SciencesandEngineering,Nanjing,210023,China, xdwang@nju.edu.cn
ColinN.Waters,DepartmentofGeology,Universityof Leicester,Leicester,LE17RH,UK, cw398@leicester. ac.uk
MarkWilliams,SchoolofGeography,Geologyandthe Environment,UniversityofLeicester,Leicester,LE1 7RH,UK, mri@leicester.ac.uk
WeiqiYao,DepartmentofEarthSciences,University ofToronto,Toronto,Ontario,Canada, mri@leicester. ac.uk
Shuan-HongZhang,InstituteofGeomechanics,Chinese AcademyofGeologicalSciences,No.11South MinzudaxueRoad,Beijing,100081,China, tozhangshuanhong@163.com
YingZhou,LondonGeochemistryandIsotopeCentre, InstituteofEarthandPlanetarySciences,University CollegeLondonandBirkbeck,GowerStreet,London, WC1E6BT,UK, y.shields-zhou@ucl.ac.uk
Withcontributionsby:
AlanG.Beu,GNSScience,LowerHutt5040,New Zealand, a.beu@gns.cri.nz
MartinCrundwell,GNSScience,LowerHutt5040, NewZealand, m.crundwell@gns.cri.nz
LindaA.Hinnov,DepartmentofAtmospheric,Oceanic, andEarthSciences,GeorgeMasonUniversity,Fairfax, Virginia,22030,USA, lhinnov@gmu.edu
ChunjuHuang,SchoolofEarthSciences,China UniversityofGeosciences,Wuhan,430074,China, huangcj@cug.edu.cn
HaishuiJiang,StateKeyLaboratoryofBiogeologyand EnvironmentalGeology,SchoolofEarthSciences, ChinaUniversityofGeosciences,Wuhan,430074, China, jiangliuis@163.com
WouterKrijgsman,DepartmentofEarthSciences, UtrechtUniversity,Budapestlaan17,3584CD Utrecht,TheNetherlands, W.Krijgsman@uu.nl
TheodoreMoore,DepartmentofEarthand EnvironmentalSciences,UniversityofMichigan,Ann Arbor,Michigan,48109,USA, tedmoore@umich.edu
MichaelOrchard,GeologicalSurveyofCanada,101605RobsonStreet,Vancouver,BritishColumbia,V6B 5J3,Canada, morchard@nrcan.gc.ca
J.IanRaine,GNSScience,LowerHutt,5040,New Zealand, i.raine@gns.cri.nz
RaffaeleSardella,DipartimentodiScienzedellaTerra, “laSapienza”Universita ` diRoma,00185Roma,Italy, raffaele.sadella@uniroma1.it
YuliiaVernyhorova,InstituteofGeologicalSciences, NationalAcademyofSciencesofUkraine,Kyiv 01601,Ukraine, juliy.vern@gmail.com
Editors’ Biographies
FelixM.Gradstein isProfessorEmeritusatOslo University,Norway,andvisitingResearchFellowatthe UniversityofPortsmouth,UnitedKingdom.From2000to 2008,hewaschairoftheInternationalCommissionon Stratigraphy.Underhisleadership,majorprogresswas madewiththeformaldefinitionofchronostratigraphicunits fromPrecambrianthroughQuaternary.Forhisfundamental workconcerningtheGeologicTimeScale,geochronology ingeneral,quantitativestratigraphy,andmicropaleontology, theEuropeanGeosciencesUnionawardedhimtheJean BaptisteLamarckMedalin2010.HeisChairofthe GeologicTimeScaleFoundationandteachescoursesin quantitativestratigraphyandthegeologictimescale.Now thathehasfreetimeagain,aftercompletingthisbookwith hisoutstandingcoeditorsandcoauthors,hestudiestheearly evolutionofplanktonicforaminifera.
MarkD.Schmitz isProfessorofGeochemistryatBoise StateUniversity,Idaho,UnitedStates.Hehasextensive researchinterestsinthedevelopmentandapplicationof radiogenicisotopegeochemistryandhigh-precision U PbgeochronologytoproblemsofEarthsystemsevolution.HehasbeenanactivememberoftheEarthTime communityandwascoeditorandauthorforthe Geologic TimeScale2012.Heseekstoenrichtheradioisotopiccalibrationofthetimescalethroughtargeteddatingofstratigraphicallyimportantvolcaniceventbedsandthe constructionofrobustchronostratigraphicmodelsthrough geologictime.Hisextensivedatabasewithover300standardizedradiogenicisotopeages(mainlyU/PbandAr/ Ar)isvitaltothisbook.
GabiM.Ogg appliedmicropaleontologytoJurassic Cretaceouscorrelationsbeforeconcentratingonpublic outreachingeosciences.Shecoordinatedtheextensive arrayofgraphicsinthisbookandisthewebmasterfor theGeologicTimeScaleFoundation(https://timescalefoundation.org)andforthe TimeScaleCreator visualizationanddatabasesuites(https://timescalecreator.org).In additiontocoauthoringthe ConciseGeologicTimeScale (GTS2016)and TheGeologicTimeScale (GTS2012) books,shehasproducednumerouspostersandtimescale cardsforpublicaudiences.
JamesG.Ogg isProfessoratPurdueUniversity,Indiana, UnitedStates,nowretired/adjunct.HeisalsocurrentlyavisitingdistinguishedprofessoratChengduUniversityof TechnologyandatChinaUniversityofGeoscience (Wuhan).HeservedasSecretaryGeneralofthe InternationalCommissiononStratigraphy(2000 08)and currentlyisexecutivedirectoroftheGeologicTimeScale Foundationandcoordinatorof TimeScaleCreator service (https://timescalecreator.org/).HisMesozoicStratigraphy Labgrouphasworkedonaspectsofclimatecycles,magnetic polaritycorrelations,andintegrationofstratigraphicinformation.Their TimeScaleCreator arrayofvisualizationtools andextensivedatabasesinglobalandregionalEarthhistory wasusedtogeneratemanyofthediagramsinthisbook.
Preface
Thisstudypresentstheacademicsciencecommunity, industry,andschoolswiththenewgeologictimescalefor c.4billionyearsofEarthhistory.Achapteralsoisdevoted totimescalesforourMoonandneighboringplanets.This bookdetailsmanyrecentadvancesinstratigraphy,thescienceofthelayeringofstrataanditscontent,inevolution andbiostratigraphy,inastrochronology,ingeomagnetics, inradiogenicandstableisotopechronology,andinageand durationcalculationsusingorbitaltuningandgeostatistics. Thenewscalecloselylinksradioisotopicandorbitally tunedagedatesandtriestoprovidecomprehensiveerror analysisontheagesofamajorityofboundariesforthe geologicdivisionsoftime.Muchbenefitisderivedfrom thesteadyincreaseinformaldefinitionofgeologicstage boundariessuchthatwehavemorestabilityintheirdefinitionthanin2012.ThisbookthuspresentsGeologicTime Scale2020(GTS2020),asthesuccessorofGTS2012.
Besidesbeingutilizedasascholarlyandconvenient standard,GTS2012alsoprovidedfruitandgaveimpetus toalargebodyofnewresearchinthefieldsofradiometrics,chronostratigraphy,orbitaltuning,andother EarthSciencespecialties.Oneofthemostrewarding aspectsofscienceisalwaystoseeresultbecomingthe springboardforexcitingnewdevelopments,andunexpectednewanswers.
Asafruitoftheseintensedevelopments,wenow proudlypresent“TheGeologicTimeScale2020”buildingonatremendousamountofnewinformation,muchof itgenerouslyassembledandcontributedbythelargeteam ofspecialists.
Thefascinationincreatinganewgeologictimescale isthatitevokesimagesofcreatingabeautifulcarpetby manyskilledhands.Allstitchesmustconformtoapredeterminedpattern,inthiscasethepatternofphysical, chemical,andbiologicaleventsontheEarthaligned alongthearrowoftime.Itisthus,thatthis,newscaleisa tributetothetrulyclosecooperationachievedbythisnew slateofoutstandingcoauthors.Wealsoconsiderthenew timescaleatributetothescientificcompetenceharbored andfosteredbytheglobalgeosciencecommunity.
Wearedeeplygratefultoallcoauthorsandcontributors,whowithoutreservationacceptedthechallengetobe
partofthisdedicatedteam,slowly(!)stitchingandweavingthiscarpetoftimeanditseventsthatportrayEarth’s uniqueandsplendidhistory.
TheNorwegianArcticexplorer,scientist,andstatesman FridtjofNansenisquotedasoncesaying“Thedifficultis whattakesalittletime;theimpossibleiswhattakesalittle longer.”Tobefrank,thereweretimeswhenweencounteredseeminglyimpossibleobstaclesinwhatotherwise seemedtobefairlysmoothlong-distancesailingfromone specialtyislandtothenextone,andstayingintouch throughadensenetworkofemails.Tosaysitsimple:the challengewiththeconstructionofadetailedgeologictime scalespanningalmost4billionyearsofEarthhistoryis thatitshouldnothaveglaringgapsintimecoverage.
Lookingbackatthe8yearsittooktocomplete GTS2020,itisalmostfunnytoconsiderthatchaptersofthis bookcoveringtheoldestrocksand“sometimebefore,”that is,PrecambrianandPlanetarywerecompletedfirst,followedbyLateProterozoicandPrecambrian,whereas MesozoicandparticularlyPaleogeneandNeogenebook chapterswerelast.Wemightconsiderthattheyounger recordontheEarthismorecomplete,moreeasilyaccessible,andmoreeasilydecipherablebutalsocreateshighresolutiondataswamping.
Whateverthetiminganddelaysinbringingsome chapterstomarket,wearegratefulthatallauthors,withoutexception,havestrivedtokeeptothefinaldeadline agreeduponbyElsevierPublishing.Toachieveclarity anduniformityinscientificandartisticpresentation,Gabi M.Oggdraftedmostofthefigures.ChristopherScotese kindlyprovidedpaleogeographicmapreconstructions withthechapters.TheElsevierProductionManager, KiruthikaGovindaraju,wasverypatientinshepherding thenewGTSbookthroughaseeminglyendlesstype-settingandproofingprocess.
FelixM.Gradstein,JamesG.Ogg, MarkD.SchmitzandGabiM.Ogg Oslo,Norway;W.Lafayette,IN,USA;and Boise,ID,USA.8September2020
Abbreviations andacronyms
ORGANIZATIONS
CGMW CommissionfortheGeologicalMapoftheWorld
DNAG DecadeofNorthAmericanGeology
DSDP DeepSeaDrillingProject
GSC GeologicalSurveyofCanada
ICS InternationalCommissionofStratigraphy
IODP InternationalOceanDrillingProject
IGC InternationalGeologicalCongress
IGCP InternationalGeologicalCorrelationProject
INQUA InternationalQuaternaryAssociation
IUGS InternationalUnionofGeologicalSciences
IUPAC InternationalUnionofPureandAppliedChemistry
ODP OceanDrillingProject
SNS Subcommission(ofICS)onNeogeneStratigraphy
PGS Subcommission(ofICS)onPaleogeneStratigraphy
SQS Subcommission(ofICS)onQuaternaryStratigraphy
STS Subcommission(ofICS)onTriassicStratigraphy
SOS Subcommission(ofICS)onOrdovicianStratigraphy
SCS Subcommission(ofICS)onCambrianStratigraphy
UNESCO UnitedNationsEducation,Scientific,andCultural Organization
USGS UnitedStatesGeologicalSurvey
TIMESCALEPUBLICATIONS
NDS82 NumericalDatinginStratigraphy (Odinetal.,1982)
GTS82 AGeologicTimeScale (Harlandetal.,1982)
DNAG83 GeologicTimeScale,DecadeofNorthAmerican Geology (Palmer,1983)
KG85 KentandGradstein(1985)
EX88 Exxon1988(Haqetal.,1988)
GTS89 AGeologicTimeScale1989 (Harlandetal.,1990)
OB93 Obradovich(1993)
JGR94 JournalofGeophysicalResearch 1994(Gradsteinetal., 1994)
SEPM95 SocietyforSedimentaryGeology1995(Gradsteinetal., 1995)
GO96 GradsteinandOgg(1996)
GTS2004 Gradstein,OggandSmith(2004)
GTS2008 Ogg,OggandGradstein(2008)
GTS2012 Gradstein,Ogg,SchmitzandOgg(2012)
GTS2016 Ogg,OggandGradstein(2016)
GEOSCIENTIFICCONCEPTS
CA-TIMS Chemicalabrasion—thermalionizationmass spectrometry(inU Pbdating)
FAD Firstappearancedatum
FOD Firstoccurrencedatum
FCT(FCs) FishCanyonTuffsanidinemonitorstandard(in Ar Ardating)
GPTS Geomagneticpolaritytimescale
GSSP GlobalBoundaryStratotypeSectionandPoint
GSSA GlobalStandardStratigraphicAge(inPrecambrian)
HO Highestoccurrencelevel
HR SIMS High-resolutionsecondaryionmassspectrometry(in U Pbdating)
ID-TIMS Isotopedilutionthermalionizationmassspectrometry (inU Pbdating)
LAD Lastappearancedatum
LAICPMS Laserablation-inductivelycoupledplasma-mass Spectrometry(inU Pbdating)
LO Lowestoccurrencelevel
LOD Lastoccurrencedatum
LA2004 Laskar2004numericalsolutionoforbital periodicities
LA2010 Laskar2010numericalsolutionoforbitalperiodicities (Laskaretal.,2011)
MMhb-1 McClureMountainhornblendemonitorstandard(in Ar Ardating)
SL13 SriLanka13monitorzirconstandard(inHR SIMS dating)
TCs TaylorCreekRhyolitesanidinemonitorstandard(in Ar Ardating)
SYMBOLS
ka 103 yearsago(kiloannum)
kyr 103 yearsduration
Ma 106 yearsago(megaannum)
Myr 106 yearsduration
Ga 109 yearsago(gigaannum)
Gyr 109 yearsduration
SI LeSyste ` meInternationaled’Unite ´ s
a annus(year)
s second
F.M.Gradstein
