Mesoarchean

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The Mesoarchean (pron.: /ˌmiːzoʊ.ɑrˈkiː.ən/, also spelled Mesoarchaean) is a geologic era within the Archean, spanning 3,200 to 2,800 million years ago. The period is defined chronometrically and is not referenced to a specific level in a rock section on Earth. Fossils from Australia show that stromatolites have lived on Earth since the Mesoarchean. The Pongola glaciation occurred at 2,900 million years ago.^[1] The first supercontinent Vaalbara broke up during this time around 2,800 million years ago.

References

^ Robert E. Kopp, Joseph L. Kirschvink, Isaac A. Hilburn, and Cody Z. Nash (2005). "The Paleoproterozoic snowball Earth: A climate disaster triggered by the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis". Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 102 (32): 11131–6. Bibcode:2005PNAS..10211131K. doi:10.1073/pnas.0504878102. PMC 1183582. PMID 16061801.

Archean Eon
Eoarchean	Paleoarchean	Mesoarchean	Neoarchean

Geologic history of Earth

Precambrian supereon (4.567 Gya – 541 Mya)

In left column are eons; right column: bold are eras; not bold are periods:

Hadean (4.567 – 4 Gya)	Chaotian (4.567 - 4.4 Gya) Zirconian (4.4 - 4 Gya)

Archean (4 – 2.5 Gya)	Eoarchean (4 – 3.6 Gya) Paleoarchean (3.6 – 3.2 Gya) Mesoarchean (3.2 – 2.8 Gya) Neoarchean (2.8 – 2.5 Gya)

Proterozoic (2.5 Gya – 541 Mya)	Paleoproterozoic (2.5 – 1.6 Gya): Siderian (2.5 – 2.3 Gya) · Rhyacian (2.3 – 2.05 Gya) · Orosirian (2.05 – 1.8 Gya) · Statherian (1.8 – 1.6 Gya) Mesoproterozoic (1.6 – 1 Gya): Calymmian (1.6 – 1.4 Gya) · Ectasian (1.4 – 1.2 Gya) · Stenian (1.2 – 1 Gya) Neoproterozoic (1 Gya – 541 Mya): Tonian (1 Gya – 850 Mya) · Cryogenian (850 – 635 Mya) · Ediacaran (635 – 541 Mya)

Mya = millions years ago. Gya = billions years ago.

Phanerozoic eon (541.0 – 0 Mya)

In horizontal bars are eras; in left column are periods; right column: bold are epochs; not bold not italic are ages; italic are chrons:

Paleozoic (541.0 – 252.2 Mya)

Cambrian (541.0 – 485.4 Mya)	Terreneuvian (541.0 – 521 Mya): Fortunian (541.0 – 529 Mya) · Age 2* (529 – 521 Mya) *Epoch 2 (521 – 509 Mya)*: Age 3 (521 – 514 Mya) · Age 4* (514 – 509 Mya) *Epoch 3 (509 – 497 Mya)*: Age 5 (509 – 504.5 Mya) · Drumian (504.5 – 500.5 Mya) · Guzhangian (500.5 – 497 Mya) Furongian (497 – 485.4 Mya): Paibian (497 – 494 Mya) · Jiangshanian (494 – 489.5 Mya) · Age 10* (489.5 – 485.4 Mya)

Ordovician (485.4 – 443.4 Mya)	Lower Ordovician (485.4 – 470.0 Mya): Tremadocian (485.4 – 477.7 Mya) · Floian (477.7 – 470.0 Mya) Middle Ordovician (470.0 – 458.4 Mya): Dapingian (470.0 – 467.3 Mya) · Darriwilian (467.3 – 458.4 Mya) Upper Ordovician (458.4 – 443.4 Mya): Sandbian (458.4 – 453.0 Mya) · Katian (453.0 – 445.2 Mya) · Hirnantian (445.2 – 443.4 Mya)

Silurian (443.4 – 419.2 Mya)	Llandovery (443.4 – 433.4 Mya): Rhuddanian (443.4 – 440.8 Mya) · Aeronian (440.8 – 438.5 Mya) · Telychian (438.5 – 433.4 Mya) Wenlock (433.4 – 427.4 Mya): Sheinwoodian (433.4 – 430.5 Mya) · Homerian (430.5 – 427.4 Mya) Ludlow (427.4 – 423.0 Mya): Gorstian (427.4 – 425.6 Mya) · Ludfordian (425.6 – 423.0 Mya) Pridoli (423.0 – 419.2 Mya)

Devonian (419.2 – 358.9 Mya)	Lower Devonian (419.2 – 393.3 Mya): Lochkovian (419.2 – 410.8 Mya) · Pragian (410.8 – 407.6 Mya) · Emsian (407.6 – 393.3 Mya) Middle Devonian (393.3 – 382.7 Mya): Eifelian (393.3 – 387.7 Mya) · Givetian (387.7 – 382.7 Mya) Upper Devonian (382.7 – 358.9 Mya): Frasnian (382.7 – 372.2 Mya) · Famennian (372.2 – 358.9 Mya)

Carboniferous (358.9 – 298.9 Mya)	Mississippian (358.9 – 323.2 Mya): Tournaisian (358.9 – 346.7 Mya) · Viséan (346.7 – 330.9 Mya) · Serpukhovian (330.9 – 323.2 Mya) Pennsylvanian (323.2 – 298.9 Mya): Bashkirian (323.2 – 315.2 Mya) · Moscovian (315.2 – 307.0 Mya) · Kasimovian (307.0 – 303.7 Mya) · Gzhelian (303.7 – 298.9 Mya)

Permian (298.9 – 252.2 Mya)	Cisuralian (298.9 – 272.3 Mya): Asselian (298.9 – 295.5 Mya) · Sakmarian (295.5 – 290.1 Mya) · Artinskian (290.1 – 279.3 Mya) · Kungurian (279.3 – 272.3 Mya) Guadalupian (272.3 – 259.9 Mya): Roadian (272.3 – 268.8 Mya) · Wordian (268.8 – 265.1 Mya) · Capitanian (265.1 – 259.9 Mya) Lopingian (259.9 – 252.2 Mya): Wuchiapingian (259.9 – 254.2 Mya) · Changhsingian (254.2 – 252.2 Mya)

Mesozoic (252.2 – 66.0 Mya)

Triassic (252.2 – 201.3 Mya)	Lower Triassic (252.2 – 247.2 Mya): Induan (252.2 – 251.2 Mya) · Olenekian (251.2 – 247.2 Mya) Middle Triassic (247.2 – 235 Mya): Anisian (247.2 – 242 Mya) · Ladinian (242 – 235 Mya) Upper Triassic (235 – 201.3 Mya): Carnian (235 – 228 Mya) · Norian (228 – 208.5 Mya) · Rhaetian (208.5 – 201.3 Mya)

Jurassic (201.3 – 145.0 Mya)	Lower Jurassic (201.3 – 174.1 Mya): Hettangian (201.3 – 199.3 Mya) · Sinemurian (199.3 – 190.8 Mya) · Pliensbachian (190.8 – 182.7 Mya) · Toarcian (182.7 – 174.1 Mya) Middle Jurassic (174.1 – 163.5 Mya): Aalenian (174.1 – 170.3 Mya) · Bajocian (170.3 – 168.3 Mya) · Bathonian (168.3 – 166.1 Mya) · Callovian (166.1 – 163.5 Mya) Upper Jurassic (163.5 – 145.0 Mya): Oxfordian (163.5 – 157.3 Mya) · Kimmeridgian (157.3 – 152.1 Mya) · Tithonian (152.1 – 145.0 Mya)

Cretaceous (145.0 – 66.0 Mya)	Lower Cretaceous (145.0 – 100.5 Mya): Berriasian (145.0 – 139.8 Mya) · Valanginian (139.8 – 132.9 Mya) · Hauterivian (132.9 – 129.4 Mya) · Barremian (129.4 – 125.0 Mya) · Aptian (125.0 – 113.0 Mya) · Albian (113.0 – 100.5 Mya) Upper Cretaceous (100.5 – 66.0 Mya): Cenomanian (100.5 – 93.9 Mya) · Turonian (93.9 – 89.8 Mya) · Coniacian (89.8 – 86.3 Mya) · Santonian (86.3 – 83.6 Mya) · Campanian (83.6 – 72.1 Mya) · Maastrichtian (72.1 – 66.0 Mya)

Cenozoic (66.0 – 0 Mya)

Paleogene, Neogene and early Pleistocene comprise former Tertiary* (66.0 – 1.8 Mya) period. Gelasian and Calabrian comprise Early Pleistocene (2.588 Mya – 781 kya) subepoch.

Paleogene (66.0 – 23.03 Mya)	Paleocene (66.0 – 56.0 Mya): Danian (66.0 – 61.6 Mya) · Selandian (61.6 – 59.2 Mya) · Thanetian (59.2 – 56.0 Mya) Eocene (56.0 – 33.9 Mya): Ypresian (56.0 – 47.8 Mya) · Lutetian (47.8 – 41.3 Mya) · Bartonian (41.3 – 38.0 Mya) · Priabonian (38.0 – 33.9 Mya) Oligocene (33.9 – 23.03 Mya): Rupelian (33.9 – 28.1 Mya) · Chattian (28.1 – 23.03 Mya)

Neogene (23.03 – 2.588 Mya)	Miocene (23.03 – 5.333 Mya): Aquitanian (23.03 – 20.44 Mya) · Burdigalian (20.44 – 15.97 Mya) · Langhian (15.97 – 13.82 Mya) · Serravallian (13.82 – 11.62 Mya) · Tortonian (11.62 – 7.246 Mya) · Messinian (7.246 – 5.333 Mya) Pliocene (5.333 – 2.588 Mya): Piacenzian (5.333 – 3.600 Mya) · Zanclean (3.600 – 2.588 Mya)

Quaternary (2.588 – 0 Mya)	Pleistocene (2.588 Mya – 11.7 kya): Gelasian (2.588 – 1.806 Mya) · Calabrian (1.806 Mya – 781 kya) · Middle Pleistocene / Ionian (781 – 126 kya) · Late Pleistocene / Tarantian (126 – 11.7 kya): Oldest Dryas (18 – 14.67 kya) · Bølling* (14.67 – 14 kya) · Older Dryas* (14 – 13.7 kya) · Allerød* (13.7 – 12.8 kya) · Younger Dryas* (12.8 – 11.7 kya)* Holocene (11.7 – 0 kya): Preboreal (11.7 – 9 kya) · Boreal* (9 – 8 kya) · Atlantic* (8 – 5 kya) · Subboreal* (5 – 2.5 kya) · Subatlantic* (2.5 – 0 kya)*

kya = thousands years ago. Mya = millions years ago. * Not officially recognized by the I.C.S.

Source: International Chronostratigraphic Chart (January 2013). International Commission on Stratigraphy. Retrieved 27 March 2013. Divisions of Geologic Time—Major Chronostratigraphic and Geochronologic Units USGS Retrieved 10 March 2013.

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Last modified on 29 March 2013, at 15:07