Bayesian integration of astrochronology and radioisotope geochronology

Abstract

Relating stratigraphic position to numerical time using age-depth models plays an important role in determining the rate and timing of geologic and environmental change throughout Earth history. Astrochronology uses the geologic record of astronomically derived oscillations in the rock record to measure the passage of time and has proven to be a valuable technique for developing age-depth models with high stratigraphic and temporal resolution. However, in the absence of anchoring dates, many astrochronologies float in numerical time. Anchoring these chronologies relies on radioisotope geochronology (e.g., U-Pb, 40Ar/39Ar), which produces high-precision (