Chapter 9 Chronostratigraphic Units A. NATURE OF CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNIIS Chronograph nis ae bodies of cocks, layered or unlayere, tht were fomed dung a speciSed iteva of aelogc time. The unis of gealogic Time during which chronostaeaphic unis wes fond ae called genom lope wns “Thelin of vonostvatigraphic unis o ote kinds of seatiprapic units te cated Caper 10, 1. DEFINITIONS. 1. Chronosteatigraphy. The clement of stigraphy hat deals with the relaive ine elation ad ges f ek bas. 2 Chronostratigraphie Casifiaton. THe rpanizaton ofthe wks ofthe ans rt it ts onthe basis oftheir age te of gn "The purpose of cronstatgrapicclassiicaon I 0 erganze 5tema- cally the foes farming the Ears cst sto named units (onosvatigraghic ‘i, coresponding to intervals of geologic ime (geochonlope unis) 10 ‘Serve a ba fr tine conelton and a reference system fr recording events of poli istry. Spec objectives ara alow: te To Determine Local Time Relations. Local tine-coneltion of sata andthe simple determination of te relative age of statin lca sections of ‘teas te import couibuons olor egiaal geology eels sty Scheme of ergatzation of sta namued chronartaaaphc units of wer ‘wie application ‘8 To Euablsh a Standard Global Chronosratigraphi Sale. Tis sae ‘is « complete and sjtomatcaly raged tierarchy of dened and named cheonostangrapti uit of oth eioal and wertdvae ppicaon Sach ie ‘carchy serves ata sand rework for expresing We age of rock bres nn Imenaional Saigrophie Gude sn for lating locks o Eat story. The aamed nis comping ech nk iia Standard Global Chonosrtgrephic Seale encompass as whole. te che srr eqence, hou gaps nd witout =p. 4 Chronestratigraphi Unt. A body frocks tat ines al rocks fing ‘ving specie eral of geologic ine and only tose ocks formed ding {fr tine pan. Cvonntigraphi unit are bounded by ochronovsborzans ‘The tnk and relate magne of he nisin the choretragraphic hacky ‘ies fonction ofthe length ofthe time intra tat ei rocks subtend. ather ‘than of thee psec 44 Chronestratgrapic Horton (Chroashorzon. A sratiapicsuice of inert at otros everywhere ofthe same age. Aoagh a codon {ms tceecaly without hckness fhe em ckronohrzo hasbeen commonly ‘plied alot vet thin and since eral that are eenly ise ‘ether whole grap exten al tus consi exes ineeferece oF ‘imme crtletin orzo Cronborzos hav aso bee alld marker, marker. Ios marker ed ey bed hey hoon, dau, lel tine-sces, Soon. Exams oforzns dima have song tine significance ince may ‘Brier, Bette otk reslting ro vleanc as als, onsen, phospho- te layer, heizons of age pair even, coal beds. cme clecticiog Inshen, sie fcr ef, Ot de rena constraint horizons ‘Te grchonslogc equiva of achronohoinn sa momen (ean inant i seo labetnedaraion oa a oop sale) . KINDS OF CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS 1. tterarchy of Formal Chronastratigraphic and Geochronlogie Unite {erm The Gide commend the fling formal chonostagraphi tems td geocroncogi eguvelent 0 expres nis Of detent rank rte cope (ratte, Postion with a chonostatigrophic nit shoud be expressed by aces intcave af poston, sch at baa, Tower, mide, ype, Opps Whteas postion wih geockrnlopc unit reqs atergeal adv, such see Test mile or mela, ates. 2, Stage (and Age) The stage sheen called he basic working unit of creno- Stctigrephy beens ts sue in scope sd an othe patcal neds and pr fs of inrepomal cooostrtgaphicclasiicaion, Furthemore, iti the Etalest unt in he standard chromsatgraphic hearty tht can be rect seed ata hal ale te Defition. The sage is 4 cronostagrapic wnt of reaively noe Chater 9—Chronostraigrapic Unis ” “ane 3.conemon rare of Fema cornostignshe and Gerevonelbe Ferre So —, Exnen tm ‘Senn Pei ‘sage “Steger toe “Tara it we und tea ad am oy be dw tes ‘Several oancer stapes oy Se gress spare ve Seon 83) ‘xa in cee huh off tomers es, ‘ig ay mir sa tegen cou ae Stags may he sbdd in sages nd ae saison of eit (oc son 93). 1 pounders and Sratnypes sag is din by ebay te ‘ops ie loa! Boundary Sony Stn and Pot crGSSP, ct Cote ‘al, 198) (essen 94. ‘ne toandsy states of ae soul be wii soueness of cen: ‘ay comtnaoo deposition, presby manne (ace meer sich he ‘Sages selon marnmalan fas a eins of woman Tertiary sequences tbe Quteroary gc sags), Bohs be noid wi dnc rer ons sch ozone Hounds r mast lat era at can Be really recone and nil tse ine-signifeant Roz The ge oun a thy ar extends om he boundary sys aren pn Sil morons Intempo detmine an exten sich nahn {tes deine tose min nr of econ a pe. et ‘Sample itmay be deine ole ot one bt eel Wore phic roe. Tf major evens inthe peigal elopmnt of he arth san eet ats pn in sees comin deposi, tee may conte Sestbleponts for te boundary sung of ages, The ston af he tou fhe sags ofthe Stn Coal Chromsttignphc Sele de tenes pacar empanis bcne uch andar sree dfn ot ly ‘aps ban hacen nis of fgher ck, ch sss and sot an ana cm : lower a upper bundy srt of age rep sen specs mens gelog te andthe ine ner betwen tn {hetme spn the sage. Crem igi stspes we arable ne span, ‘mot ngs rm 1D lion yess sed omens den‘0 Iermaional Saigrophic Guide ato The iches of anyone sage my vay fom place plas, depending ‘le local ac of eck scum and Jee of ese Sage sty ang fom ate mse to many sands mes Nome, The mae sage shld pry be dre om ro fas he nay of stag or pe ae. Comentnal. ts Sake ve ben gen Bewapi name ny ciel wed sages ne ee She er now of te oursiap eis on which ey wee nly tse nth pene: sve een en nares eats 0 cae agen ust Engsh he aja erm of the geographic name eed wth an cong in“ or “as tr crane, Bargain Stop Cenomatian Stee. Fuca Sa, Zancen Sige. A ae aes he ane pane the cron Sg |. Subwtage and Supertage. The siage a subdivision ofa stage Se Stags hove bon dvi completely Ino formally named subse oes have au any cepts designated a sastages. The geochronoloie equivalent of ‘Tabge might be termed aside, bat preferably scaled imply an ae. A “rage defined by boanary-staeype. ‘Svea ject stages muy ke gouped it @saperstage, Reais ee coed, however, rein bth susages ad spestaps to avoid com pices the nomenclature umecesarly Subject 0 Te proper introns “lnc i's often prefer to sbi the ei te ito 40 oF re ‘ew stags and if te ned forthe original per unreal, make he ria a sage no ers inclding the new suges Names of substges and sepertagcs follow the sume rues a5 those of 4, Sere (and pe) we Defition. The seis suit in he convesna chronostaigapic Ni cmc. ranking sve 4 sage and blow a sys The geohroolepe oe Teno tsees san ere ‘A nrcs nals a subviion of seis usally bu no bans woken upto sages, Many systems ave hoo ied in hee eis, ba the fumes aries fom two oS Sees commonly tle rom wo 0 i tages. ‘Ta tes pereries and sniserice have heen wed aly neuen, fr ex timp Seoonan Sts (oe Sopetags ofthe Upper Cretaceous Series, Moxt ‘re can be reconial worldwide, although some a et have a ony more rested application 1 Boundaries en Boundary. Sees ina yond seorypes Gee ston 9). Is eos has been completely divided int stapes, ie bounaies should he the lower Bouary of Hs ols stage andthe pret Iudary ofits youngest sage, rhe ower bounay of he lowest sage of Chapter 9—Chronosraieraphe Unie a the overyng series (se section 92} I sage sbaivisions ae ot the series may be defined independent by i own boundary sap, Time Span Mest curey ace seres ary in ime spa frm 13 © 38 milion years The tine span ofa sees, f vide lly it sages the sum of he ine sano it component stages ‘4 Name, Anew series rae should peefely be derived fro geo- phi etre inthe vii of i sattye or pe ea, Novels the ‘ue of cey recognized sees which are cf othe eins sould nt be hanged. The aes of mos serie are evden i to within a ste (Gower mid, upe)—for example, Mile Devenan Series, Upes Cretaceous ‘Sei ober mes ave Geek word eration for exp, Miocene; mile ‘ahers have geopapicdeivaons—for example, Toumsivan Sees, Many of the curly recogsized sees names of gor riz ve ben give the ending" of" for example, Viet Sere, Chester See, ‘Te epoch coesponiing v0 a series tke hese name the Keres ett the ems lower, middle, and upper applied a series ae changed 10 aly, mie and le when een toa each Inch eases these terms are ‘apialized when refering Yo a formal unt—for example, Lower Devers, Ely Devoian bt not for informal ference to cronostatirapic or eo ehronoiogic poston for example, “in the lower part ofthe Deven” and “early in Devonian tie" Misuse of Series” The term tis hs been riety wed inonecty 2 dosraigraptic term moe or les eguvalent to ropa casting of ‘naleration of iologcypes. This usage mus te cisco 5, System (and Peed) 1 Definition. The stem isu uit of major rank in the conventonal ‘tronic hieachy, above « sens and Below an eaten, The geo ‘aonolgiceavale of system pre ‘Special cumstances have suggested the occasional ned for suhtems ‘and saperostems; for example, th Mississippian ard Pensyvanian Subys- tem ofthe Cuonifeous Sytem '. Boundaries and Boundary-sraaypes. Asin the ase of sug and se este boundaries ofa sptem are defined by boundary types ce section SUH). a sytem is evided imo eis and ages, lower boundary sary Is that fs odest ares stage ante wpper boundary ssteype thao te ase of the vering sytem (seston 9.2). ‘The boundaries of most recoprized stems Wee aon tne il defoe, nceain, and controversial in varying degrees Thin was deo cat igi fino, othe dsovey of gaps and overlaps a the lve of what vere pre ‘ously thought o be the boundaries of ace sytem a the ch tt Uunivelyaceped concep of wht a syxam and how ks boundries shoud2 Inveratonl Sotigrphic Guide ve defied sng the nt 30 yea fh Working Crops ofthe TUS sees anmaon en Srtigry hive een ngage ne ston of Inca fp bounds einen te tims fe Seder Ct dae el an he cngonst sits nd wages Several ve cond tothe Comino, ad aprons, Te et ae ender ‘Senge sss 9D an. i ering te Staion ofa ptm todd ut what ee ened ine stem. The defini fest Sm tae eres en atoataly defies este a is ous Fe of cuenling se bonnes genetically avs fom we an for etenng eer onstage neo = son Spa. tine span of yen can mos ely edi asthe in a Tea of fs compooet srs of component sags, The ine Le 2 tcl scot Perri pens eng om 30 80 nico sa aan Gata) Sue has ene gaol) 10 ‘etalon year Tree aS tera cepted syste aime an acct gh 30 dr ac wee ces reece wt Ct fal aa marae, ese pty he no Wiel EO ee ry sed nde par enone Posten. ae Nims names of ces rvoged ten eof vee oi Son ey cheoolpe pointe Tear od Qe aoe alo cannon eg. Catenion, Caco), ts a a NDwailan, Sian, an sll ober re gcoeaphic (Ee a ey Lewis, ty abo bea vary feng 60 ae aT rm al sandra eva o ort rans Bytom umes The pains sae ae as eye © Meh sr qrotc ns a rf te wit fom wee Eup enn ed spc” lth thy oot oie with he sad aa ea san reser noe Sach ae Keo a cen aed e Kao Sens) and he Conan “Sys of i 46 athe (and Era) Am erate (rom the Gresk 08 ea and hem, the SCRENSPER an sth uni in th chrononttgrape Merchy above #95 ee tne lneral of geoloi ine coresonding to an crate i 38 ‘mes lel inecfingeing and repacing each oer, may fen provide see Sonabiy accurate ination of tne conan. Sacha stem of nelockng ‘oaones can be pariculy helpful it providing a te nross major Ital ‘hunges i depoivonal envionment Aa example the use af the lni-o-scean progsssion of tesa animals ad plas, pollen besthoic marine esunss {nd panicle movie organs in he craton between comin ‘ne pons Another example i the ave of orelapping plant and anal vores ‘a coelain rm pica to enperateo polar nvronent ‘Ate effective paleontological Key 10 Tone-ange time caelation is trough the interpretation of evar sequences offs forms, Numero ‘tical techniques have ben developed fo tis pup,a Ieravonal Sraigraphic Guide A reazaton of the problems ob faced in paloma time coneltion may be gained from comsidenton ofthe vary of Weenvionmets ofthe ath tthe preset tine wd the ret aera varaton in ing forms Wit the ‘ded complies due oTetaing environmen of the past, continental dei agente changes in stata, tanh, the vegas fos peservaion the time require for migration acide of callecton, and ether fats ce Figo 15) tr undertandale that slong with pret vale, longa pale ‘nological time corelaton also has seus limon. Moreover, Precavian ‘rocks, costing large pt ofthe Eats rast and corespoadingt 85 pe~ ent f geologic tine, donot wily onan wiable Fos and even ithe Phanerogsc no ll rats re osieros and esas were presen il aly & selve ag, nota exact age measured in lips of Je 4. tsotopie Age Determinations. scopic dang meted hase onthe ratiue~ tive decay of cern pret maces ata ete that is constant and suitable for asia ewe 15. Powe css ofl vaio a he elon of uh he ig wper Teuton a's pate tatoo te wer im prem he oe ttetoton oun noends hoe cece hfe) (Chapter 9—Chronastatigraphic Unis 9s ‘messing gesog time provide an addons key to shromaigaphy. The ‘most comely sed methods (U-P, RDS, K-AL A-Ar produce daa high ‘evnion. Analtial eos are commonly it the xe of. 1a 2 percent sop ding limos unique in its pote! for combating ge vans expres in years milion, or bln (10) of years. Ie has fused he Hist ‘quanitative evidence of the length of geologic ime, sagging thatthe age of. the odest known rocks of te Earb's cre atleast 3.960 mllon year topic dating hs also provides the major hope of working ott some extent the ages and age relationships ofthe ret mass of Precambrian rks, where fossils are of le ose In age determifation and where stucral complication and mesaoyphis request ibibi det observation of he pal stata e- ‘uencs Ii ot uncommon nowt see con U:Po aes exposed a he | talion year eel of precision Likewise, fr Phneronoc rks, 0p age ‘leermiations now provide wel data on ages and arto in years. a well, ' aluble checks op lative age dtermiations by other made. Under ce tan crcunvaces, slope age determinations of trae or ex pres rock bien may provide the Best. reve the only is for age dterminaon {nd cronostatigraphiepstion of Siesta Sequences. Discrepatces i age resus may as rom he we of dereat decay con stn For geoceenomette caer isthe porta ta ior ‘eof decay constants be used in he compan of ages In commen we 0% te hose recommenced in 1976 bythe IUGS Subcemmision on Geocronly Totopic meth ay be plied both to whol ok sane nd 1 inet als separated from the oes. The ae sigificnce of sete data depends on ‘ase of geological purmaten, and thease of aap methods chron. Sigraphy generally equies polgialimerpretaton. The various iotpe ‘sem in iferet mineral and rook samples may ref a specie response ‘aing condons of pressure, temperature, cr othe vicstodes Wich thy zy lave cxercnced Thi muy be neces decide whether te ap ob tained is that of metarorpisn or ther subsequent aerationeatber thn tbe {ese age of formation ofthe rock Lite, pes determined fo det miner als derive from elder sources may case eroneus contusions on the age of omation of rock stratum Final, en npr nation owe tat oll rock ype re amenable oto ge determination [Amethod of age determination ugh raoactivity fering fran thse smentend abo is tat tase on he proprio fhe radcabce tope (C1 ‘nal chon he rganie mater of iments. Tie met ha oon ee “lus bts tes aptcaton tothe dating wpe Quatre 5. Geomagnetic Polarity Revere Peso reversals of the poly of the Ears mageec eld ae wlan importantly in chonottgraphy. pri Tal in per Mesooic and Cenonse rocks, wher more dead rng6 Imsrrtional Siraigrphic Guide laity sealehas Been developed The magnetic polarity scale ha also played 1 portant oe i determing he chronograph ofthe ook ofthe = tic regions. Polarity reveals ae, however, tmay in character, nd specific nes cant be ented witht asians from ater methods sch a io raugragy or wotopie das, 6 Paleatimatie Changs. Climatic changes lave a conspicuous imprint on ‘he peoloic cri te form of hacia epesis, evaporite, edb, oa Dt, plontloial changes, and such. Since many climatic cana spear To ane teen regional or were, their effecih om the rocks provide valle infomation for chonoconeltion. The extent of thir effects ix competed, however, by snmal variates in chats dae to lite, elevation, oceanic ci Calton, pie movements and ther For 7. Paleogeography and Bastate Changs in Sex Level, Aating tans ‘lon an segresont ef the ena! tefeutngencofoies ave casealy Proved he bis for osl a regina dvsn of ral sees, ad marty the crostini of Westen roe cae inthis way, Arae of ter eperogenc movements ofthe landmass or ett res and wens of thee level cern prods Earth slo em oan ben charcerzed word ‘nce by 4 ore igh or ew tnd th conn wath espet e eel. The Cridenc inthe eck Sequence of hse esti changes cin fash a excelent be ‘isforeublahing «worldwide “ana” choose ame However local vertcl movements of he Earth's cust may have bee so ea and 0 Varable ‘peerpcaly a te cord in the os ay ede ont eal. ' Unconformies. Many of the sel stems wee orginal define as pe ‘ening te oes ig batwoon cain mar ucoformites becuse hese raed ‘ar resin iio. plonloy, anther ees of hers shoo. Fwever tht sara of unconformity swt vars in age nd ia nale from pace ple and th never vera in ete Morsover ancl. iequeny es fom ey ow epee movers taking lice over ng p= ts of soli, Hence, whe unonfornss fect save useful ties to te sprmoninate pacemen of chonalgapic brute they cat in themselves all te requests cf sch boda (sion 9313. ‘Attough wnonforty sarees ae ot ochvonous and comely ca tena tine hz aor repos unecnritesoviowy Ine very epee tant tho rod ime piece. Likewise, unconformity Sound wis theme css of satrap ine whic, ohm center, hve great siiicanc inchrnosratizahy (ee Chater 9) 9, Orogenies. A cls, bt now dcr, concep of ites aol tha ie worldwide orgcies ive Farner” worlwide dain Chaper9— Chronosraigrophe Units o lines in Eat istry ant thes an be det inthe rocks hy the eets ‘cn sedimentation oso, igneous activi and rek deformation. This is valid ‘aly for cxtainrgios nd vfs i the ustge of auch tems as Cale- ‘onan, Hereyiam Laramie and Aine organ Inthe Precambrian, ‘hroourigphe clsietion has ben ated on The as of wore ‘rogeni exes and vei periods of casa metamorphism. However, he om ‘Sdrble duration of mary erogenies, the oeal ar than Worldwide nate, ‘er lak of eotcdene with elas ye or series boundaries, the cil uly of seating tem closely make tem generally nsf indicators ‘of wordwidecoreseatgnagiccomlaton 1, Other Indeators Many ote ines of eience may ude ime ccm stances be Helpful as guest tine comelaion and as ingicors of ehono- “earl postion. Fc example, certain verbrates may provi valine ‘lef chonnurtgraphic potion ecase hey show a dcreaing numer of ‘dl growth increments pe year aasd bythe owing of the Ears rat of - {stig reponse to al impsance ‘Various ineropelpeoherical and geophysical featues of rock sata provide means of approximate timo-onelaon over considerable distances Dera ee miner atemblage ae valshl ine conelton agin deter Inaing ela tine of fomacon. Varves and seasonal bain seen ae Inia of ape and duration of statigraphic interval. Probable ras of ed ‘mention are indicators of the tie regu forthe femation of sedimeniary Sequences. Seismic profes ad electrical ad mca lgging of bores pro- ‘Vide very usefl means of tine corlation and dead evidence of relative honor postion Several special namercal cols not meatond above have ben deve ped for dating very young sediment. Various ting maths have bon tied lizingtermolomiescence som ticks place ak nd ter forse of alaton damage Many ther mas eould be meaned, ad itis expected ‘hat many tll sew metods wl be deveoped ‘Many of the above-mentioned combos to tne comeaton, though of| ly limited accray, canbe well in working cut he ine reltions of Sata nde the ght ccamstaner. Some ae mere ied than oe, but aoe should te rejected Even wth he help o allie creation extend the bouts of hronotgrphic unis geowrapicly anay fom their Boundary sato- ‘pper never achieves complete sxhrone {I NAMING OF CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS ‘A formal cironostatgrapic uit should be given abisonia designation — 1 proper name pus 2 erm erd-and the nial leer of th sold be cap alle for example, Cctacous System. The peohrnnloie equivalent ofo Imernaiona Straigraphic Guide ctroasraiaphi ni hold ee ame rope ae combined wh te Squtnlopechomloge tem campl, Criceows Pe The proper ‘inc of: cromsraigehic uni ay teed alone nr re erg feof or xanpe he Asani” nlc of he Auten Stage” “omer orth eso ial Ln Frans f chron vag unete deed dr he heading unis Canosa ‘Serle flaws te pelle for Saige sence Ben ‘Scr aand38 XK. REVISION OF CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS Mach confusion conceing the sage of specific chronostatirapie unis tas ansen de to nade defntion ofthe Us ate time they mere poe posed. Te mae thes unten ef i song) urged tht orginally ina ‘Shun dtniions of nits ow in common we should be eis fo accord with recommended procedures Is also urged tht any new croestatraphic uit For which oma stats dsred shouldbe aduntly proposed and defines a ‘coving othe procedte utned in setons 3B and 9 Chapter 10 Relation Between Different Kinds of Stratigraphic Units ‘The cacpoviss win igrphic clsifiaon ar all closely elated ll ea he oko th Ears rst, wih he pcre ofthe tated Ea as it prescient and ah he istry of te Eartha nrc fom is ks Etch ealegay, bower i conser ah a dilletent propor tte of he rock nd ifr aspect of Ear itary. The ett importance of te ie ‘en caegoris varies with cicumsancs, Fach importa prc purpses Liketnagrphic ats ae the basi uns of edlogs surface or subse rapping. and Ubestrarapicclsicaon 4s wal the fst pprsch i ‘intlraphie workin any new area, Wherever there ate rocks. spose © develop alist clsiicton even when no ober tatipapbicpo- ‘cedure ar faible, Tithstatgapic units are based primarily 0 the liologie properties of| rocks—tedimony, igneous, and metamorphic. The fs content of hs [aphasia crain caer be at inperan dbsingushng element ia ther ecogiion. nt Because f the age significance of the Foss bat because oftheir dagnosiclitologi (hysea properties. Cogutas, al et. radio Tae, oyster ais, and col bes ae goed examples. hash as cach ibstatpaphc unt was formed ding pei ee ‘al of seloic tine, iv has not erly itoogie signups bt alo chews Sagrphe sigicance, The concep of ine, however, property ls) hte artim extablising or MntiyingItosratigraphi wis an tet tours. Titheopie chance is generally inoeced more stongly by conditions of ‘maton tan ty tine of ein; smock typos are repeated te and gain inthe stairaphic sequence, and the Poudre of ales al ihxtagraphic ‘hits eventally oat acres ocronou surfaces they ae raced lateral, “Montini lasefction xs an xl pin working ou the t= \isrphy ofa reson. But when dating with wfolferous socks, abowt- ‘apy ithe main nl approach tagapic clifton