The successor of the standard GTS2004 has been published in 2012 in two multi-authored volumes by Elsevier. This new full colour Geological Time Scale is the chronostratigraphy reference source for the coming years. The first volume (435 p) has 18 chapters, dealing with the basics of the current stratigraphic methodologies, the Planetary Time Scale and the Precambrian chronostratigraphy. The second volume (1144p) deals successively with the chronostratigraphy of all the Phanerozoic Periods from Cambrian to Quaternary and ends with two chapters on the Prehistoric Human Time Scale and on the new concept of the Anthropocene.
F. Gradstein, J.G. Ogg, M.D. Schmitz, G.M. Ogg, 2012. The Geological Time Scale 2012 (2 volumes). Elsevier BV ( ISBN 978 0 44 459425 9).
All chapters can be consulted via DOI (copy the number and put it in the search of your browser) :
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00001-9 Introduction
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00002-0 Chronostratigraphic scale
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00003-2 Biochronology
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00004-4 Cyclostratigraphy and Astrochronology
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00005-6 Geomagnetic Polarity Time Scale
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00006-8 Radiogenic Isotope Geochronology
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00007-X Strontium Isotope Stratigraphy
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00008-1 Osmium Isotope stratigraphy
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00009-3 Sulfur Isotope Stratigraphy
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00010-X Oxygen Isotope Stratigraphy
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00011-1 Carbon Isotope Stratigraphy
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00012-3 A brief history of plants on Earth
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00013-5 Sequence Stratigraphy and Sea-Level Change
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00014-7 Statistical Procedures
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00015-9 The Planetary Time Scale
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00016-0 A chronostratigraphic Division of the Precambrian
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00017-2 The Cryogenian Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00018-4 The Ediacaran Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00019-6 The Cambrian Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00020-2 The Ordovician Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00021-4 The Silurian Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00022-6 The Devonian Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00023-8 The Carboniferous Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00024-X The Permian Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00025-1 Triassic
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00026-3 Jurassic
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00027-5 Cretaceous
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00028-7 The Paleogene Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00029-9 The Neogene Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00030-5 The Quaternary Period
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00031-7 The Prehistoric Human Time Scale
DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-444-59425-9.00032-9 The Anthropocene
This GTS2012 is an initiative of the Geological Time Scale Foundation , also the editor of the Time Scale Creator. At the website the chart can be downloaded.
At the same time , at the occasion of the 34th International Geological Conference , the International Commission on Stratigraphy has published its own International Chronostratigraphic Chart. On that chronostratigraphic chart the already ratified Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Points (GSSP) of the stages are indicated and all stages have a numerical age. Ages for all systems are taken from the GTS2012 , except Triassic, Cretaceous and Precambrian. The chart is prepared in collaboration with the Commission for the Geological Map of the World and be downloaded from the ICS website.