A concise guide to stratigraphical procedure

Abstract

The Stratigraphy Committee of the Geological Society of London presents a revision of its 1969 ‘Recommendations’ which is designed to provide a concise working guide to stratigraphical procedures. Le Comité de Stratigraphie de la Société Géologique de Londres presente une révision de ses ‘Recommendations’ de 1969 qui est destinée à fournir un guide concis aux methodes stratigraphiques. Die stratigraphische Kommission der geologische Gesellschaft in London stellt eine Revision ihrer ‘Empfehlungen’ von 1969 dar, die ein gestrafftes ausreichendes Handbuch zur stratigraphischen Methoden zu geben erstellt wurde.

Lithostratigraphical nomenclature of the English Palaeogene succession

“…Whilst the information provided in relation to the new units is less complete than that recommended both in the International Guide and in the Geological Society of London's latest (Harland et al 1972) guide, it is the present writers' impression that the recommendations in these guides are not mandatory, and may be dealt with by common sense. In particular, when a name is proposed to replace preceding names (now invalid) whose lithology are well known and described elsewhere, it has seemed unnecessary to repeat such descriptions.…”

“…He rightly claimed (p. 4) that the nineteenth-century nomenclature currently applied to the English Palaeogene succession does not accord with the Geological Society's stratigraphical Code (Harland et al 1972). Unfortunately, however, Stinton's revised nomenclature, since extended and amplified by Cooper (1976), is also at variance with that code; nor is it compatible with the recommendations in the International Stratigraphic Guide produced under the aegis of the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification (1SSC) (Hedberg, 1976).…”

“…Although Harland et al (1972) included palaeontological characters among the wide variety of criteria to be used in the definition of formations, the manner in which they may be used is not precisely stated. However, Harland (1977, p. 231) unequivocally accepted the use of index fossils in lithostratigraphy.…”

A revision of the lower Cretaceous stratigraphy of Lebanon

“…Not a single term in current use meets the requirements of modern stratigraphie codes and guides (e. g. HARLAND et al 1972;H~DBERG, 1979,). The terms in use at present are all informal, e. g. "Gr~s de Base", and often ambiguous, e. g. "Couches ~ Gast6ropodes" (Fig.…”

The name “Wenlock Limestone”

“…It is surprising not to find a similar recommendation in either the Concise Guide (Harland et al 1972) or the International Stratigraphic Guide (1976) as most stratigraphers would probably agree with this procedure. 5.…”