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A formal model for the geologic time scale and global stratotype section and point, compatible with geospatial information transfer standards

¹ CSIRO Exploration and Mining, P.O. Box 1130, Bentley, 6102 WA, Australia
² Arizona Geological Survey, 416 W. Congress St., #100, Tucson, Arizona 85701, USA

View larger version (25K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 1. Model for temporal reference systems, adapted from ISO 19108:2003. TimeOrdinalEraBoundary class is a modification required for stratigraphy and archaeology. Note: a parent class not shown in the diagram is indicated by its name in italics above the name of the derived class

View larger version (26K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 2. Basic geologic time scale (many attributes suppressed for clarity)

View larger version (23K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 3. Relationship of geological features to elements of the time scale (many attributes suppressed for clarity)

View larger version (37K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 4. Calibration of the time scale through date determinations on specimens or points

View larger version (40K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 5. The elements of the time scale model used by the Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) project. This is based on the model shown in Figures 1–4, but only the relationships that are formally used in the GSSP project are shown. The colors provide an informal high-level classification: those in yellow are generic time scale components, green are generic sampling and observation elements, light brown are related to concrete objects in the field, and blue are abstract components associated with the geologic time scale

View larger version (11K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Figure 6. Schematic topological complex, illustrating the constraints required for this to serve as a reference system