EARTHTIME is an international community initiative that seeks to accelerate the development and application of integrated methods for the quantification of geological time.
In the Earth sciences the study of fundamental problems relies on accurate knowledge of geological time.
Seamless integration of independent time-dependent records/archives is required to integrate disparate datasets, quantify the rates and timescales of ‘earth-system’ processes, and thereby better understanding the mechanisms and feedbacks that characterise such systems.
Geological time is treated as the “independent variable”; deductions and conclusions are made assuming that the geological timescale as given is basically precise and accurate.
As increases in precision outstrip increases in accuracy, and absolute dates become more prolific there is an increasing need to question that assumption, and carry out new experiments to increase accuracy of the various dating systems and methods. The EARTHTIME community is actively addressing these issues.
The EARTHTIME mission: To accelerate the development and application of integrated methodologies for the quantification of geological time for the underpinning of Earth sciences.