Recently, Zhou Yaoqi research group, from School of Geosciences, UPC, has made significant progress in chert and paleoclimate research. The paper “Astronomical forcing of a Middle Permian chert sequence in Chaohu, SouthChina" has got published by Earth and Planetary Science letters. The authors of the paper are Yao Xu, doctoral student of School of Geosciences, UPC, Professor Zhou Yaoqi from UPC, and Professor Linda A. Hinnov, from Johns Hopkins University. UPC is the first contributor of the paper.

Professor Zhou Yaoqi and doctoral student Yao Xu.

Chert is a silica-rich sedimentary rock that contains small fossils. The cryptocrystalline nature of chert, combined with its above average ability to resist weathering, recrystallization and metamorphism has made it important for the research on paleogeography, paleoclimate and organic evolution. Astronomical forcing signifies a periodical change of global climate for thousands of years caused by earth’s permanent revolution, forcing a periodical change of the surface sedimentary system.

The causes of cherts have long been a subject of controversy. Zhou Yaoqi team have taken great effort on field geological exploration work. Their research, finding astronomical driving signals in chert of south China 270 million years ago and discussing in-depth the causes of chert and paleoclimate evolution model, has improved Chinese international influence in the chert research field. Peer reviewers have also showed great interest and thought highly of this research.

Earth and Planetary Science Letters（EPSL）is a top-level comprehensive journal in the area of earth and planetary science. EPSL, Geology and Geochimica et CosmochimicaActa, have been called "Troika" in the international geoscientific field.

See more information about the paper:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X15002319

       Editor: Liu Yupei

　　Source: UPC News Center