Quaternary： status, rank, definition, survival

作     者：Marie-PierreAubry WilliamA.Berggren JohnVanCouvering BrianMcGowran BradPillans FritsHilgen 

作者机构：DepartmentofGeologicalSciencesRutgersUniversity610TaylorRoadPiscatawayNJ08854-8066USA DepartmentofGeologicalSciencesRutgersUniversity610TaylorRoadPiscatawayNJ08854-8066USA／／DepartmentofGeologyandGeophysicsWoodsHoleOceanographicInstitutionWoodsHoleMa02543USA TheMicropaleontologyProject256FifthAvenueNewYorkCityNYUSA SchoolofEarth＆EnvironmentalSciencesTheUniversityofAdelaideDP313AdelaideSA5005Australia ResearchSchoolofEarthSciencesTheAustralianNationalUniversityCanberraACT0200Australia 

出 版 物：《Episodes》 (地质幕（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2005年第28卷第2期

页      面：118-120页

核心收录：

学科分类：0709[理学-地质学] 081803[工学-地质工程] 07[理学] 08[工学] 0818[工学-地质资源与地质工程] 

主　　题：第四纪冰川 地形特征 沉积作用 识别方法 

摘      要：The long controversy over the term ‘Quaternary as a chronostratigraphic unit may be reaching an apotheosis, judging from recent papers (Pillans and Naish, 2004; Gibbard et al., 2005; and referencest herein). The debate is no longer centered on whether there should be a place in the geological time scale for a unit termed ‘Quaternary -despite its dubious past, it cannot be denied that a large body of earth-historical research is strongly identified with this term. The challenge now concerns an appropriate rank and definition of Quaternary with regard to other chronostratigraphic units. Several options have been proposed (Pillans and Naish, 2004), and Gibbard et al. (2005) encourage a debate on these before decision is reached. In this brief note, we describe an arrangement not previously considered that seems advantageous. It is instructive, however, to first review the Pleistocene Series and Neogene System, the two units that are directly affected by introduction of the Quaternary into the chronostratigraphic hierarchy.