Chronostratigraphy

Fundamental of Geochronology:

Deals with the age of the strata and their time relation, organization of the rock
strata on the basis of the their age. It is also known as the time-stratigraphy; help in
determining the age of the rocks in absolute terms with help of radioactive elements
present in some rocks. The radiometric dating of rocks and its interpretation in terms of
the geological phenomena is known as Geochronology.
The radioactive elements constantly undergo a process of decay give rise to formation of
their stable isotopes known as daughter element. The process does not depend on
pressure, temperature, and other physical parameter.
The radiometric dating of the rock is determined by mineral containing radioactive
elements, the ratio of the mother and daughter elements and half life of that element help
to detemine the dating of the rocks. Generally using of U, Th, K, Rb and also C used for
determine of the Quaternary rocks. Some elements have long half life Te, In, Sm, these
radioactive elements are used for old rock.
Mother elements Daughter elements Half life (yr)
U238 Pb206 8He4 4.47x109
U235 Pb207 7He4 0.70x109
Th232 Pb206 6He4 14.01x109
Rb87 Sr87 50x109
K40 Ar40, Ca40 1.25x109
C14 N14 5730

U-Th dating method,U and Th decay and form of stable lead isotopes with alpha particle,
mineral contains of more than 1% of those elements in the mineral, Uranite, monozite,
zircon used for dating.
K-Ar dating method, using igneous and metamorphic rock and sedimentary rock
containing of from this methodglauconite and illite. K-feldspar and mica are suitable for
the determination of ratio of mother and daughter elements, trouble in age determination
in losing and gain of the Ar gas.
Rd-Sr dating method, widely used occurrence of rubidium in alkali feldspar and mica.
C-dating method, age determination of rocks which was formed less than 60000 years,
isotope ratio calculated by plant remains in the sedimentary rocks.
Problems:
1. lose of the gas and gain of the gas from different source, give unbelievable dating,
2. In the dating of the metamorphic rocks it is difficult so use of the Samarium (Sm)-
Niodymium dating method, which is not affected by the metamorphism. However, the
Sm-Nd method id used for finding out of the earliest geological events.
Chronostratigraphy Example Time unit Example
Eratheme ---- Era Cenozoic
System Tertiary system Period Tertiary
Series Miocene Series Epoch
Stage Panonian stage Age
Zone Globorotalia Phase
tumuda flexuosa zone
Chronostrtigraphic Unit: The rock sequences which is deposited during a certain
duration of the geological time and which contain characteristic fossils constituent is
Chronostratigraphic Unit, a body of the rock strata that is unified by being the rocks
formed during a specific interval of geologic time.
Chronological boundary, type locality, subdivision and fossil content of standard
stratigraphic unit
Eontheme- rock succession deposited during eon, is a higher rank. The lower boundary of
the Phanerozoic is is lower boundary of the Cambrian. The cryptozoic and Phanerozoic
eon.
Eratheme- succession of rock formation deposited during Era, is a broadest unit of the
earth history, boundary is clarified by the most pronounced discontinuity in the earth
history. Made of three systems.
All rock succession of the earth grouped into five broad chronostratigraphic units with
reference to life existed on the surface, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic, these are grouped
in the Phanerozoic representing the presence of forms of life with hard part. Archeozoic
and Proterozoic eras did not contain hard part anmals
and totally unfossiliferous. Azoic- absence of the life, oldest; Proterozoic- older; Paleo-
early; Meso-Intermediate; Caino- new and ending with zoics mean life.
Pre-cambrian Eon is the combined name of the Archeozoic and Proterozoic and it is
subdivided into the Archeozoic, the Middle and Upper to the Proterozoic.
System- represented by a succession which were deposited during Period and constitutes
a part of an eratheme. A system is characterized by the typical fossil assemblage, and
boundary is demarcated by sudden change of facies, angular unconformity and it is made
of more than two series of rock formations.
Naming of the system: C, O, S, D, C, P, T, J, K, Tr, Q by sediment province (type area):
C, D, P, J, typical lithology: C, K, type locality: T, old tribe: O and S.
The Tr is divided Paleogene and Neogene, given by the independence status of period.
Series- rock succession deposited in the Epoch and part of the system. Series is
characterized by the fossil assemblage (subfamily, genus and species), each series is made
of two or more stages of the rock formation. Series is assigned a name according to its
relative position in respective system. Two and three-fold classification, e.g., Lower and
Upper, and Lower, Middle and Upper or Early, Middle and Late. But the case in Jurassic
(Lias, Dogger, Malm), Paleogene (Paleocene, Eocene, Oligocene), Neogene (Miocene and
Pliocene) and Quaternary (Pleistocene and Holocene) system has given special names. In
U.S.A., C (Mississippian and Pennsylvanian), K (Neokomian and Senonian).
Stage-deposited during the geological age and subdivision of the series, characterized by
the typical assemblage of fossils (genus, subgenus, species).stage is established on the
basis of the organic remains of wide geographical distribution, e.g., foraminifera,
brachiopods, and each stage is established by help of detailed description of lithology and
fossil in type area and assigned a name after its type area, e.g., Sarmatian stage of the
Miocene Series.
Zone-Smallest unit of the stratigraphic scale, characterized by assemblage of fossils
referred Zonal assemblage. Constituents of the zonal assemblage of deposit formed during
same geological time may be different from area to area.

Principle of Stratigraphy and correlation

Correlation- main theme of the stratigraphy, aims at matching of the rock formation of
distant areas deposited at the same stage of the earth's evolutionary history.
Criteria-
Non palaentological Criteria
a. Order of superposition-
b. Petrological characters-
c. Strucures and tectonics-
d. Geophysics-
Palaentological method-
a. Index fossil-
b. Fossil assemblage-
c. Phylogeny-
d. Micropalaentology-
Lithological correlation-