Workshop: The Late Paleozoic Gondwanan Ice Age: Towards a More Refined Understanding of Timing, Duration, and Character

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

This workshop will focus on the late Paleozoic Gondwanan Ice Age, which was one of the most significant intervals of "icehouse" climate in Phanerozoic Earth history. This ice age is hypothesized to have had a profound influence on Earth's climate, sea level, depositional systems, and biogeography. To date, however, the overall timing, duration, and character of this interval and its stratigraphic record remain controversial. Part of the problem has been a lack of suitably precise stratigraphic frameworks that can be used to constrain observations. But also, at least in certain areas, the documentation of glacial deposits has not been rigorous, relying on what are now known to be non-diagnostic criteria such as the presence of diamictites in the rock record. In recent years, a number of scientists have been working to improve understanding of this complex period of Earth history. These include lithostratigraphers, sedimentologists, biostratigraphers and paleontologists, and sedimentary geochemists. To date, however, there has been no opportunity for all of these researchers to integrate the growing body of knowledge into a holistic framework. This workshop will provide the much needed venue. In terms of broader impacts, this workshop will promote international collaboration, broaden the perspective of U.S. scientists, and provide an opportunity for the next generation of scientists to interact with leaders in the field. Outcomes will be published in a proceedings volume, and have societal relevance in understanding global climate change.