Australian Stratigraphy Commission
The Australian Stratigraphy Commission is a standing committee set up to provide orderly use of stratigraphic nomenclature in Australia, particularly to avoid duplication of names and to help authors define or redefine units adequately.
It consists of a National Convenor and Sub-commissions consisting of members nominated by the State and Territory Divisions.
The commission members work collaboratively, mostly via email to:
- Provide a point of reference for matters relating to stratigraphic nomenclature, including interpretation of the International Stratigraphic Guide, and the Field Geologist’s Guide to Lithostratigraphic Nomenclature.
- Provide education/advice on stratigraphy related issues to National, State and Territory government geoscience bodies, in particular staff and managers of the Australian Stratigraphic Units Database, as required.
- Provide education/advice on stratigraphy related issues to the Divisions/Specialist Groups and members as required.
- Lobby editors of Australian and international geoscience journals to include checks of stratigraphic nomenclature in their ‘guides for authors’ and ‘guides for reviewers’.
- Be a point of contact for the International Subcommission on Stratigraphic Classification (ISSC, of the IUGS International Commission on Stratigraphy).
- Disseminate information from, and collate and provide Australian views to the ISSC, as required.
- Report to the Governing Council on activities of the Australian Stratigraphy Commission.
Commission members meet up from time to time, when possible, and aim to meet at each Australian Earth Sciences Convention.