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PRG Research

Research carried out by the Precambrian Group:

Reinventing the planet

The Neoproterozoic Era (1000-540 Ma) marked a key turning point in the devel­opment of the modern earth system. Crucial biological innovations towards further complexity took place amid carbon cycle instability that pushed climate to unprecedented extremes.

Neoproterozoic Climate Change

The Neoproterozoic Era (1000–540 Ma) is famous for its ice ages, especially within the appropriately named ‘Cryogenian Period’ (circa 750-635 Ma). The Cryogenian glaciations were prolonged disturbances to the Earth System that were...

The Cryogenian Subcommission:

The Cryogenian Subcommission of the International Commission on Stratigraphy (ICS) is the primary body for facilitation of international communication and scientific cooperation in Cryogenian System stratigraphy...

Early Proterozoic:

The Proterozoic Eon began with the first whiff of oxygen appearing in earth’s atmosphere. Originating from the activities of photosynthetic cyanobacteria, free oxygen was to have an irreversible and profound effect...

The Ediacaran-Cambrian boundary:

The late Neoproterozoic successions of South China comprise some of the most complete and well-preserved records of the Ediacaran-Cambrian transition. This transition is an intriguing interval beginning with the evolution...

Precambrian Specific Facies:

Molar-tooth structures are intricately crumpled, microsparry calcite fissure cements that formed during the Precambrian. Strontium isotope stratigraphy constrains the last occurrence of molar-tooth structure (MT) in the geological record to about 720 Ma (Tonian-Cryogenian transition).

Strontium Isotope Stratigraphy:

The isotopic composition of strontium dissolved in the world’s oceans has varied though time, allowing 87Sr/86Sr to be used to date and to correlate marine sedimentary rocks worldwide. Using calibration curves, a numerical age can be obtained for the mineral.

Other aspects of Sedimentary Geochemistry:

Low-temperature geochemistry can of course be applied to other research problems, and here are examples of more general applications: