EARTHTIME 2.0 Workshop Rationale.
Following the first EARTHTIME workshop (Smithsonian Institution, 2003) the focus of activities under the EARTHTIME umbrella have been focussed on the development of dating methods (calibration, standardisation, capacity). These efforts have led to major improvements in our ability to date minerals, with an emphasis on U-Pb, 40Ar/39Ar and cyclostratigraphy based methods, and there is a need to continue this work, to improve these methodologies, expand to other geochronological methods (e.g., Re-Os) and communities. At the same time there is a need to return to return to examine the original concept of EARTHTIME (‘a community-based effort towards high-precision calibration of earth history’) and examine what can be done, if anything, to accelerate realisation of those ambitions. In particular, should the EARTHTIME initiative encapsulate specific efforts that take ‘EARTHTIME geochronology’ to the users?
With these questions in mind it was decided to convene workshops to discuss the future of the EARTHTIME initiative. This first workshop will focus on two issues:
- What mechanism are required to sustain (and expand) the momentum built up during the first decade of EARTHTIME for the continual development of state-of-the-art dating methods for the geochronology community?
- Do we, the EARTHTIME geochronology community, need to improve how we engage with the user of geochronology? The user community is diverse and the ad hoc approach works, but can we identify any areas where a targeted approach would be beneficial?
The aim of the first workshop in Vienna was to address these two questions and produce a forward looking report which will form the basis of subsequent discussion. This report was circulated to the broader EARTHTIME community and was used as a primer for a follow up workshop at GSA 2016.
This workshop followed the discussion initiated in Vienna…
More text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text more text
Vienna 2016 Workshop Report.
Denver 2016 Workshop Report.
Denver Workshop minutes – Stratigraphic Challenges
Outcomes and Actions arising from the 2016 EARTHTIME 2.0 Workshops:
1. EARTHTIME should define itself as a broader geochronology initiative.
ACTIONS: Develop the EARTHTIME ‘mission statement’ (done), highlight the breadth of methods already involved and encourage broader involvement (ongoing).
2. A better web site and social media presence is critical.
ACTIONS: Develop new website (you are reading this at that site). Develop EARTHTIME presence on social media (there is now active Facebook, Twitter and ResearchGate sites).
3. Need to explore mechanisms for integrating with the ‘user’ community
ACTIONS: Explore Gordon Research Conference on the theme of “Geochronology” (explored and proposal submitted July 1st 2017, decision pending)