Anda di halaman 1dari 5

CVO Menu - The Geologic Time Scale

Page 1 of 5

USGS/Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington

The Geologic Time Scale


NOTE: Ages and names used here are based on U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3015, "Divisions of Geologic Time -Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units", March 2007, ages have been rounded, see publication for precise
timeframe.

Eon

System,Subsystem or
Period,Subperiod

Erathem or Era

Series or Epoch
Holocene
11,477 years ago (+/- 85
years) to the Present

Quaternary
1.8 million years ago to the Present

An epoch of the
Quaternary period. It is
named after the Greek
words "holos" (entire) and
"ceno" (new).

The second period of the Cenozoic era. It


contains two epochs: the Pleistocene and the
Holocene. It is named after the Latin word
"quatern" (four at a time).

Pleistocene
The several geologic eras were originally
named Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and
Quaternary. The first two names are no longer
used. Tertiary and Quaternary have been
retained but used as period designations.

1.8 million to approximately


11,477 (+/- 85 years) years
ago

"The Great Ice Age"


An epoch of the
Quaternary period. It is
named after the Greek
words "pleistos" (most)
and "ceno" (new).

Pliocene
5.3 to 1.8 million years ago

Cenozoic

P
h
a
n

65.5 million years ago to Present

"Age of Recent Life"

Final epoch of the Tertiary


period. It is named after
the Greek words
"pleion" (more) and
"ceno" (new).

An era of geologic time from

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html

30/09/2010

CVO Menu - The Geologic Time Scale

e
r
o
z
o
i
c

Page 2 of 5

Miocene

the beginning of the Tertiary


period to the present. Its name
is from Greek and means
"new life."

23.0 to 5.3 million years ago


A epoch of the upper
Tertiary period. It is
named after the Greek
words "meion" (less) and
"ceno" (new).

The Cenozoic,
Mesozoic, and
Paleozoic Eras are
part of the
Phanerozoic Eon

Oligocene
33.9 to 23.0 million years ago
An epoch of the early
Tertiary period. It is
named after the Greek
words "oligos" (little, few)
and "ceno" (new).

Tertiary
65.5 to 1.8 million years ago
The first period of the Cenozoic era (after the
Mesozoic era and before the Quaternary
period).

Eocene
55.8 to 33.9 million years ago
An epoch of the lower
Tertiary period. Its name
is from the Greek words
"eos" (dawn) and
"ceno" (new).

Paleocene
65.5 to 58.8 million years ago
Earliest epoch of the
Tertiary period. It is
named after the Greek
words "palaois" (old) and
"ceno" (new).

Eon

Erathem or Era

System,Subsystem or Period,Subperiod

Series
or
Epoch

Cretaceous
145.5 to 65.5 million years ago

Late or
Upper

"The Age of Dinosaurs"


The final period of the Mesozoic era. The name is derived

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html

30/09/2010

CVO Menu - The Geologic Time Scale

Page 3 of 5

from the Latin word for chalk ("creta") and was first applied
to extensive deposits of this age that form white cliffs along
the English Channel between Great Britain and France.

P
h
a
n
e
r
o
z
o
i
c

Early or
Lower

Mesozoic
251.0 to 65.5 million years ago

Jurassic

"Age of Medieval Life"

199.6 to 145.5 million years ago

An era of geologic time between


the Paleozoic and the Cenozoic.
The word Mesozoic is from Greek
and means "middle life."

The middle period of the Mesozoic era. It is named after the


Jura Mountains between France and Switzerland, where
rocks of this age were first studied.

Late or
Upper
Middle
Early or
Lower

The Cenozoic, Mesozoic,


and Paleozoic Eras are
part of the Phanerozoic
Eon

Triassic
251.0 to 199.6 million years ago
The earliest period of the Mesozoic era. The name Triassic
refers to the threefold division of rocks of this age in
Germany.

Late or
Upper

Middle

The Break-up of the continent Pangea ... MORE

Early or
Lower

Eon

Erathem or Era

System,Subsystem or Period,Subperiod

Series or
Epoch

Permian
299.0 to 251.0 million years ago

Lopingian

The final period of the Paleozoic era. It is named after the


province of Perm, Russia, where rocks of this age were first
studied.

Guadalupian
NOTE: all series/epochs of the Silurian and the
Permian have been named. Although the usage of
these names is preferred, "lower/early", "middle",
and "upper/late" are still acceptable as informal
units (lowercase) for these two systems/periods.

Cisuralian

Pennsylvanian
318.1 to 299.0 million years
ago

Late or
Upper

"The Coal Age"


Middle
A period of the Paleozoic

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html

30/09/2010

CVO Menu - The Geologic Time Scale

Page 4 of 5

era. It is named after the


state of Pennsylvania where
rocks of this age are
widespread.

Early or
Lower

Carboniferous
359.2 to 299.0 million
years ago

Mississippian
A period of time in the
Paleozoic era that
includes the
Pennsylvanian and
Mississippian periods.

359.2 to 318.1 million years


ago
A period of the Paleozoic
era. It is named after the
Mississippi River valley,
which contains good
exposures of rocks of this
age.

Paleozoic

Late or
Upper

Middle

Early or
Lower

542.0 to 251.0 million years ago

P
h
a
n
e
r
o
z
o
i
c

"Age of Ancient Life"

Devonian
416.0 to 359.2 million years ago

An era of geologic time, from


the end of the Precambrian to
the beginning of the
Mesozoic. The word
Paleozoic is from Greek and
means "old life."

A period of the Paleozoic era. It is named after Devonshire,


England, where rocks of this age were first studied.

Middle
Early or
Lower

Development of the Eastern


Piedmont ... Taconic
Orogeny ... MORE

The Cenozoic,
Mesozoic, and
Paleozoic Eras are
part of the
Phanerozoic Eon

Late or
Upper

Silurian
443.7 to 416.0 million years ago
A period of the Paleozoic. It is named after a Celtic tribe
called the Silures.

NOTE: all series/epochs of the Silurian and the


Permian have been named. Although the usage of
these names is preferred, "lower/early", "middle",
and "upper/late" are still acceptable as informal
units (lowercase) for these two systems/periods.

Pridoli

Ludlow

Wenlock

Llandovery

Ordovician
488.3 to 443.7 million years ago
The second earliest period of the Paleozoic era. It is named
after a Celtic tribe called the Ordovices.

Late or
Upper
Middle
Early or
Lower

Cambrian

Late or
Upper

542.0 to 488.3 million years ago

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html

30/09/2010

CVO Menu - The Geologic Time Scale

Page 5 of 5

The earliest period of the Paleozoic era. It is named after


Cambria, the Roman name for Wales, where rocks of this
age were first studied.

Middle
Early or
Lower

Precambrian ***
approximately 4 billion years ago to 542.0 million years ago
*** The name "Precambrian" means "before Cambrian". According to the Divisions of Geologic Time -- Major
Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units (USGS Fact Sheet 2007-3015, March 2007), for many years the term
"Precambrian" was used for the division of time older than the Phanerozoic Eon (which includes the Cenozoic, Mesozoic, and
Paleozoic Eras, see above). Today however the term is considered to be informal and without specific stratigraphic rank. The
"Precambrian" covers the Proterozoic, Archean, and Hadean Eons.

Resources:
Table compiled and/or modified by: Lyn Topinka, USGS/CVO, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2008, with names and ages modified in 2008
to match U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3015, "Divisions of Geologic Time -- Major Chronostratigraphic and
Geochronologic Units", March 2007.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3015: U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Names Committee, 2007, Divisions of
geologic timeMajor chronostratigraphic and geochronologic units: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3015, 2 p.
Geological Society of America (GSA) 1999 Geologic Timescale, GSA Website, 2006
U.S. Geological Survey, Paleontology Website: http://geology.er.usgs.gov/paleo/, 1997 and January 2001
Newman, Geologic Time Online Edition: USGS General Interest Publication, version 1.2
Newhall and Dzurisin, 1988, Historical Unrest at Large Calderas in the World: USGS Bulletin 1855
Schlee, Our Changing Earth: USGS General Interest Publication, Online Version, January 2001
Swanson, et.al., 1989, Cenozoic vulcanism in the Cascade Range and Columbia Plateau, Southern Washington and
Northermost Oregon, AGU Field Trip Guidebook T106
University of California Museum of Paleontology Website, 2008.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, and the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey, The
Geologic History of the Columbia River Gorge: Information Broshure
The Geologic Story of the Ocoee River: USGS General Interest Publication, July 1996
U.S. National Park Service Website - Geology Fieldnotes; Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, April 2000

Return to:
[Volcano and Hydrologic Hazards, Features, and Terminolgy Menu] ...
[Miscellaneous and Useful Items Menu] ...

URL for CVO HomePage is: <http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/home.html>


URL for this page is: <http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html>
If you have questions or comments please contact: <GS-CVO-WEB@usgs.gov>
11/17/08, Lyn Topinka

http://vulcan.wr.usgs.gov/Glossary/geo_time_scale.html

30/09/2010

Anda mungkin juga menyukai