Dinantian

The Dinantium, rare even Dinant (or no longer correct Dinant stage) called, is in the Earth's lower regional and supra- regional subsystem (or series, earlier stage) of the carbon in Central and Western Europe and the equivalent of the European Lower Carboniferous. It follows on from the Upper Devonian series or the Devon system and is detached from regional and supra- regional Silesium subsystem. The lower limit is the same as the lower limit of the Mississippian subsystem and the Carboniferous system, but the upper limit is within the Mississippian, that is, it can not be equated with the Mississippian as well as the European Lower Carboniferous. In absolute terms, that enough Dinantium of about 359.2 million years to 345.3 million years.

History and naming

The Dinantium 1893 introduced by Albert de Lapparent to replace the old term " terrains anthraxifères ", which had been previously used for this period of time. It is named after the town of Dinant in the province of Namur in Wallonia, Belgium. 1958 decided to adopt the term in the hierarchical rank of a subsystem for the European Lower Carboniferous of the 4th Carbon Congress in Heerlen (The Netherlands). In international usage, but the term could not prevail. 2004 ratified the International Union of Geological Sciences, the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian as subsystems of the Carboniferous. Since then, the Dinantium is used only at regional or supra- regional level. However, some authors do not recommend the further use of the term Dinantium and Lower Carboniferous.

Definition and correlation

The base of Dinantium was somewhat controversial in the past. Some authors also the regional stage of the Strunium was included in the Dinantium. The Strunium is now made ​​to the Upper Devonian. Later the limit was also placed at the base of the Hastière- lime, originally also the regional base level (or lower level) of the Hastarium. Again, the basal parts of the Hastière- lime turned out to be Devonian. Today, it is assumed that the base of Dinantium corresponds to the lower limit of the carbon, that is, it is defined by the first appearance of the conodont species Siphonodella sulcata. The upper limit, while the lower limit of Silesium is the first appearance of Ammonitenart Emstites Leion ( Bisat, 1930) (definition of the 4th Congress of Carboniferous, Heerlen, 1958).

Subdivision

The supra- regional subsystem Dinantium is again divided into different regional series, stages and sub- stages, the hierarchical ranks often change. In Germany it was decided on a proposal from the German Subcommission on Carboniferous Stratigraphy, to take on the global stage Tournaisium and Viseum well as regional levels. Rare are the regional levels (or sub- steps)

  • Aprathium
  • Erdbachium
  • Balvium

Been used, which go back to a suggestion by Hermann Schmidt from 1925. With the acquisition of Tournaisian and Viseum as regional levels, the levels used in Belgium and England (or sub- steps) can be used as sub-stages.

In Belgium, the Dinantium was originally divided into five stages ( from top to bottom ).

  • Warnantium
  • Livium
  • Moliniacium
  • Ivorium
  • Hastarium

In England, the Dinantium is divided into the following steps:

  • Brigantium
  • Asbium
  • Holkerium
  • Arundium
  • Chadium
  • Courceyium

The Dinantium in Central Europe

In Central Europe the Dinantium mainly by calcareous and sandy- clayey deposits ( " Carboniferous " - and " Kulm " facies ) is characterized. In the higher Dinantium turbidites were deposited in many places.

Swell

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