Synonyms
Age determination; Dating
Definition
Geochronology. Determination of ages and time intervals for geologic materials and processes on geologic, archeologic, and historic time scales. The science of investigating and reflecting the chronology of the earth constituents as induced from geologic data, based on absolute and relative dating methods.
Age, absolute . Age determination based on radioactive elements, their rates of decay and physical measurements, resulting in an actual age given in years for the analyzed geologic material (e.g., mineral, rock, fossil, fluid).
Age, relative . Age information based on stratigraphic anomalies (e.g., lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic principles, field observations) or utilizing chemical reaction rates (e.g., diffusion, exchange, oxidation, hydration) as a measure of time.
Units.Geochronologic data are presented as yr BP (years before present), as ka (age date in thousands of years), as kyr (time interval in thousands of years, e.g.,...
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Liebetrau, V. (2011). Geochronology. In: Reitner, J., Thiel, V. (eds) Encyclopedia of Geobiology. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_224
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9212-1_224
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