International Commission on Stratigraphy

The International Commission on Stratigraphy is the International Union of Geological Sciences’ scientific body for defining and standardizing the global geologic time scale and its boundaries.

Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point: A formally ratified physical reference point marking the boundary between two geological time units. The commission uses these reference points to define many internationally standardized boundaries.
International Geological Congress: A recurring international meeting where geologists discuss research and coordinate geological standards. Its early congresses helped establish international cooperation on stratigraphic nomenclature.
Holocene: The current geological epoch, beginning about 11,700 years ago after the last glacial period. Its formal lower boundary illustrates how a recent interval receives global definition.
Geochronology: The science of determining the ages and chronological sequence of geological events and materials. It names time intervals, whereas the commission also standardizes the rock units representing them.
International Chronostratigraphic Chart: A chart showing the hierarchy, names, and dates of units in the global chronostratigraphic scale. It publishes the time-unit framework that the commission maintains.
Albert Oppel: A German geologist whose work on Jurassic strata advanced the use of fossil zones for correlation. His zonal approach anticipated methods later used in international stratigraphic standardization.
Anthropocene: A proposed geological epoch defined by the widespread effects of human activity on Earth systems. The commission’s rejection of a formal epoch proposal shows how its standards govern recognition.
North American stratigraphic code: A set of rules for naming and classifying stratigraphic units in North America. Regional codes address local stratigraphic naming beyond the commission’s global time scale.
Chronostratigraphy: The branch of stratigraphy that organizes rock bodies by the time intervals they represent. The commission standardizes the units and boundaries central to this discipline.
Amadeus William Grabau: An American geologist known for influential work on stratigraphy and geological classification. His stratigraphic classifications formed part of the intellectual background to global standards.

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