Stratigraphic Schemes for Download

These schemes are available for StrataBugs users to download and import. They have been constructed using published boundary ages and colours.

How to import schemes

Click the link to download the scheme file.

Import the schemes using the Schemes & Interpretations module. Choose File  Stratigraphic Schemes, and press Read…​. Press Add Scheme once the file has been read.

You can also import the files using Organiser.

You can use new schemes in conjunction with the "recalibration" tool to create new biozonation schemes and composite standards, based on the new chronostratigraphic ages. You can reassign well data to the new schemes using the "Show usage" button on the Stratigraphic Schemes window, in the Schemes and Interpretations module.

The Geologic Timescale (Gradstein et al.)

2020

This is an encoding of the Gradstein at. al. publication of 2020 published end 2020/beginning 2021. Most boundaries have small revisions compared to GTS2016 and GTS2012.

Note that the substages in the Cretaceous, Jurassic and Triassic are informal only and the subdivisions are just for illustration, so feel free to edit those yourself or suggest changes. The colours have been reviewed and revised according to the RGB codes indicated.

2016

This is a revised version of the GTS2012 scheme with 27 modified stage boundaries. In addition, the scheme is more complete than the StrataBugs version of the 2012 scheme for the following reasons:

  1. Sub-epochs have been included for the Cenozoic

  2. Sub-ages have been added for some periods in the Mesozoic and Paleozoic

  3. For use in StrataBugs 2.1, boundary uncertainty (confident, probable, possible) is shown.

  4. More precise dates (to 2 decimal places, where known) are shown.

2016 (Boreal)

This is a revised version of the GTS2016 scheme with North Sea/Sub Boreal stage boundaries.

2012

An updated version of the Gradstein et al. Geologic Time Scale 2008.

This is available only as an XML file for import into StrataBugs v2. The Boundary ages are taken from Gradstein, Ogg, Schmitz & Ogg, 2012. The colours are the same colours as used in the 2008 time scale.

2008

An updated version of the Gradstein et al. Geologic Time Scale 2004.

The same numerical timescale is used as in GTS2004 for the majority of stage boundaries but there are a number of exceptions. Colours comply with the colour code according to the Commission de la Carte Geologique du Monde (CCGM) and differ from those published for the GTS2004. Revised boundary ages, stage names and colours are as published here.

If you want to use this scheme with your existing chronostratigraphic records, import the scheme and then use Organiser to reassign chronostratigraphic units. (You can find this utility in Tools - IGD Schemes → then using the Show Usage button).

2004

Other Schemes

BP GNATTS 2019

This is an encoding of the scheme published here: Bergen, J. A., Truax III, S., de Kaenel, E., Blair, S. A., Browning, E., Lundquist, J., Boesiger, T. M., Bolivar, M. & Clark, K. (2019). BP Gulf of Mexico Neogene Astronomically-Tuned Time Scale (BP GNATTS). GSA Bulletin, 131 (11-12): 1871-1888.

GSA Bulletin; November/December 2019; v. 131; no. 11/12; p. 1871–1888; https://doi.org/10.1130/B35062.1; 7 figures; 7 tables; Data Repository item 2018407; published online 16 April 2019.

Data are available at http://www.geosociety.org/datarepository/2018 or by request to editing@geosociety.org.

SEPM Global Sequences 2016

Global T/R cycles, calibrated to the GTS 2016 timescale and using a similar colour scheme.

SEPM Global Sequences 2012

Global T/R cycles, calibrated to the GTS 2012 timescale and using a similar colour scheme.

Martini (1971)

Calcareous Nannofossil zonation for the Neogene and Paleogene, calibrated to the GTS 2012 timescale and using a similar colour scheme.

Roth (1978)

Calcareous Nannofossil zonation for the Cretaceous, calibrated to the GTS 2012 timescale and using a similar colour scheme. This could be imported into a combined scheme with the above.

Okada and Bukry (1980)

Calcareous Nannofossil zonation for the Neogene through to Cretaceous, calibrated to the GTS 2012 timescale and using a similar colour scheme.

Sub-Boreal Ammonites

Calibrated to GTS 2016.

Hardenbol et al. 1998

Harland et al. 1989

Boundary ages are taken from Harland et al., (1989). Colours are based on those used in the wall chart published as a companion to this book. No definitions of the original colours used were available so they were matched as closely as possible by scanning the wall chart and measuring the RGB values in Paintshop Pro 7.04. A complete listing of these colour definitions is in this file.

We have added some familiar equivalent terms such as Early, Middle and Late Eocene to the scheme where we felt it would benefit StrataBugs users.

The Harland et al. scheme provided in earlier versions of StrataBugs was divided into three parts (Tertiary/Mesozoic, Upper Palaeozoic, Lower Palaeozoic). This file will import a complete scheme for the Phanerozoic.

International Commission on Stratigraphy

CGMW

USGS

All data are from stratigraphy.org. Colours are according to the Commission for the Geological Map of the World or United States Geological Survey. Boundary ages are from Gradstein, Ogg, Smith et al. (CUP, 2004).

AGSO (USGS)

All data are from An Australian Phanerozoic Timescale, 1996 Young & Laurie (Eds) OUP. There are no defined colours.