Fourth and last period of the Paleoproterozoic Era
Statherian −1800 —
–
−1780 —
–
−1760 —
–
−1740 —
–
−1720 —
–
−1700 —
–
−1680 —
–
−1660 —
–
−1640 —
–
−1620 —
–
−1600 —
–
Name formality Formal Celestial body Earth Regional usage Global (ICS ) Time scale(s) used ICS Time Scale Chronological unit Period Stratigraphic unit System Time span formality Formal Lower boundary definition Defined chronometrically Lower GSSA ratified 1991[ 1] Upper boundary definition Defined chronometrically Upper GSSA ratified 1991[ 1]
The Statherian Period (; Ancient Greek : σταθερός , romanized : statherós , meaning "stable, firm") is the final geologic period in the Paleoproterozoic Era and lasted from 1800 Mya to 1600 Mya (million years ago). Instead of being based on stratigraphy , these dates are defined chronometrically .[ 2] [ 3]
The period was characterized on most continents by either new platforms or final cratonization of fold belts . Oxygen levels were 10% to 20% of current values.[ 4]
Rafatazmia , controversially[ 5] claimed to be present in Statherian beds in India , may be the oldest known confirmably eukaryotic fossil organism.[ 6]
By the beginning of the Statherian, the supercontinent Columbia had assembled.[ 7]
Approximately 1.7 billion years ago, natural nuclear fission reactors were generating power in what is now Oklo , Gabon .[ 8]
^ a b Plumb, K. A. (June 1, 1991). "New Precambrian time scale" . Episodes . 14 (2): 139– 140. doi :10.18814/epiiugs/1991/v14i2/005 .
^ "Statherian Period" . GeoWhen Database . Archived from the original on May 12, 2006. Retrieved January 5, 2006 .
^ James G. Ogg (2004). "Status on Divisions of the International Geologic Time Scale". Lethaia . 37 (2): 183– 199. doi :10.1080/00241160410006492 .
^ Holland, Heinrich D. (2006). "The oxygenation of the atmosphere and oceans" (PDF) . Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society: Biological Sciences . 361 (1470): 903– 915. doi :10.1098/rstb.2006.1838 . PMC 1578726 . PMID 16754606 .
^ Kumar, S. (2009). "Controversy concerning 'Cambrian' fossils from the Vindhyan sediments: a re-assessment" (PDF) . Journal of the Palaeontological Society of India . 54 (1): 115– 117.
^ Bengtson, Stefan; Sallstedt, Therese; Belivanova, Veneta; Whitehouse, Martin (2017). "Three-dimensional preservation of cellular and subcellular structures suggests 1.6 billion-year-old crown-group red algae" . PLOS Biology . 15 (3): e2000735. doi :10.1371/journal.pbio.2000735 . PMC 5349422 . PMID 28291791 .
^ Zhao, Guochun; Cawood, Peter A; Wilde, Simon A; Sun, Min (November 2002). "Review of global 2.1–1.8 Ga orogens: implications for a pre-Rodinia supercontinent". Earth-Science Reviews . 59 (1– 4): 125– 162. Bibcode :2002ESRv...59..125Z . doi :10.1016/S0012-8252(02)00073-9 .
^ Davis, E. D.; Gould, C. R.; Sharapov, E. I. (1 April 2014). "Oklo reactors and implications for nuclear science". International Journal of Modern Physics E . 23 (4): 1430007– 1430236. arXiv :1404.4948 . Bibcode :2014IJMPE..2330007D . doi :10.1142/S0218301314300070 . S2CID 118394767 .