Epoch (geology)
subdivision of geological time; shorter than a period and longer than an age
An epoch in geology is a part of a period. Thus the Cainozoic era is now divided into three periods, the Palaeogene, the Neogene and the Quaternary. These are finally broken down into these epochs: Palaeocene, Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene, Pliocene, Pleistocene and Holocene.[1]
The Tertiary, now not used ('deprecated'), included the Palaeogene and Neogene. That is why the last period is called the Quarternary, and there was a big debate about that, too. These decisions are made by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS). This organisation runs an International Commission on Stratigraphy, which decides how we should name geological strata and stages.[2] They describe their work as follows:
- "[Our] primary objective is to precisely define global units (systems, series, and stages) of the International Chronostratigraphic Chart... [These] are the basis for the units (periods, epochs, and age) of the International Geologic Time Scale."
References
🔥 Top keywords: Main PageSpecial:Search0Slash (punctuation)BlackSpecial:RecentChanges4 (number)DavidSOLID (object-oriented design)Wikipedia:AboutFile:Sexual intercourse with internal ejaculation.webmHelp:ContentsHelp:IntroductionLisa Sparxxx2023 UEFA Champions League FinalColour24-hour clockAdolf Hitler UunonaBismillahir Rahmanir Raheem6 (number)T. N. SeshanFile:ASCII-Table-wide.svg20 (number)Poor Things (movie)United StatesCristiano RonaldoList of people who have walked on the MoonAli Malikov50 (number)17 (number)The Valley (2024 TV series)GrassList of mathematical symbolsList of U.S. states and territories by time zone8 (number)List of countries by areaWikipedia:Simple talkList of largest Hindu templesRama