Stratigraphy

1 Fundamentals of Stratigraphy.- 1 Definitions.- 2 Chronology of Events.- 3 Principles of Correlation.- 2 Elaboration of the Fundamentals of Stratigraphy.- 1 Lithostratigraphy.- 2 Biostratigraphy.- 2.1 Evolution, the Reference System for Age Dating.- 2.2 The Zone Concept of Oppel.- 3 Chronostratigraphy.- 3.1 The Concept of the Stage.- 3.2 Event Stratigraphy.- 3.3 The General Chronostratigraphic Scale.- 4 Conclusions.- 3 Modern Stratigraphy.- 1 Refinement of Concepts and Time Scales.- 1.1 Evaluation of Geologic Time Intervals and Rates.- 1.2 New Biostratigraphic Approaches.- 1.3 Search for a Rigorous and Universal Chronostratigraphy.- 2 New Methods of Correlation.- 2.1 Correlation by Sedimentary Rhythms.- 2.2 Correlation by Mineralogic and Geochemical Markers.- 2.3 Correlation by Paleomagnetism.- 2.4 Extraterrestrial Correlations.- 2.5 Conclusions.- 4 From Stratigraphy to Paleogeography.- 1 Principles and Methods of Paleogeography.- 1.1 Facies.- 1.2 Paleobiogeography.- 1.3 Cartographic Syntheses.- 2 Factors of Paleogeographic Evolution.- 2.1 Deformation of the Lithosphere.- 2.2 Volcanic Eruptions.- 2.3 Interplay of Erosion and Sedimentation.- 2.4 Eustasy.- 2.5 Polar Wandering.- 2.6 Conclusions: the Earth in Relation to Other Planets of the Solar System.- 5 The Major Stages of Earth History.- 1 The Precambrian.- 1.1 Boundaries and Subdivisions.- 1.2 Methods of Study.- 1.3 The Geography of the Precambrian.- 1.4 Early Segregation and Establishment of Fundamental Processes.- 1.5 Conclusions on the Precambrian.- 2 The Paleozoic: the Formation of Pangea.- 2.1 Lower Paleozoic.- 2.2 Upper Paleozoic.- 3 The Mesozoic and Cenozoic: Breakup of Pangea.- 3.1 The Mesozoic.- 3.2 The Cenozoic.- 3.3 Conclusions on the Mesozoic and Cenozoic.- General Conclusions.- References.