U-Pb Ages from the Neoproterozoic Doushantuo Formation, China

U-Pb zircon dates from volcanic ash beds within the Doushantuo Formation (China) indicate that its deposition occurred between 635 and 551 million years ago. The base records termination of the global-scale Marinoan glaciation and is coeval with similar dated rocks from Namibia, indicating synchrono...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2005-04, Vol.308 (5718), p.95-98
Main Authors: Condon, Daniel, Zhu, Maoyan, Bowring, Samuel, Wang, Wei, Yang, Aihua, Jin, Yugan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Analysis
Animals
Biological Evolution
Cambrian period
Carbon
Carbon - analysis
Carbon - metabolism
Carbon Isotopes - analysis
Carbonates
Carbonates - analysis
China
Crystalline rocks
Dolomite
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Environmental aspects
Exact sciences and technology
Fossils
Geochronology
Geologic Sediments - chemistry
Geological time
Geology
Glacial accumulation
Glaciation
Igneous and metamorphic rocks petrology, volcanic processes, magmas
Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology
Isotopes
Lead
Radioactive dating
Radiometric dating
Sediments
Shales
Silicates
Time
Uranium
Volcanic ash
Volcanic Eruptions
Zirconium
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Description
Summary:U-Pb zircon dates from volcanic ash beds within the Doushantuo Formation (China) indicate that its deposition occurred between 635 and 551 million years ago. The base records termination of the global-scale Marinoan glaciation and is coeval with similar dated rocks from Namibia, indicating synchronous deglaciation. Carbon isotopic and sequence-stratigraphic data imply that the spectacular animal fossils of the Doushantuo Formation are for the most part younger than 580 million years old. The uppermost Doushantuo Formation contains a pronounced negative carbonate carbon isotopic excursion, which we interpret as a global event at circa 551 million years ago.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.1107765