Arenigian

In geology, the Arenigian (or 'Arenig') refers both to a time interval during the Lower Ordovician period and also to the suite of rocks which were deposited during this interval.

The term was first used by Adam Sedgwick in 1847 with reference to the "Arenig Ashes and Porphyries" in the neighbourhood of Arenig Fawr, in Merioneth, North Wales. The rock-succession in the Arenig district has been recognized by W. G. Fearnsides (“On the Geology of Arenig Fawr and Moel Llanfnant", Q.J.G.S. vol. lxi., 1905, pp. 608–640, with maps). The above succession is divisible into:

It was to the middle series (2) that Sedgwick first applied the term "Arenig". In the typical region and in North Wales generally the Arenig series appears to be unconformable upon the Cambrian rocks; this is not the case in South Wales.

The Arenig series is represented in North Wales by the Garth Grit and Ty Obry beds, by the Shelve series of the Corndon district, the Skiddaw Slates of the Lake District, the Ballantrae Group of Ayrshire, and by the Ribband Series of slates and shale in Wicklow and Wexford. It may be mentioned here that the "Llanvirn" Series of H. Hicks was equivalent to the bifidus shale and the Lower Llandeilo Series.

In the geologic timescale, the "Arenig" or Arenigian refers to an age of the Lower Ordovician epoch, between 478.6 ± 1.7 and 471.8 ± 1.6 million years ago, contemporary with the more recently proposed Floian by the ICS, based on a section in Sweden (Diabasbrottet quarry) and with the same boundaries. The Arenigian and Floian are the upper part of the Lower Ordovician and follow the Tremadocian (Gasconadian in North America) which is the lower part. Either is followed by the Middle Ordovician ICS Dapingian or by the Llanvirnian of older chronologies. The Arenigian and equivalent Floian are represented in North America by the upper three stages of the Canadian which is followed by the Middle Ordovician Whiterockian which is the lower part of the now shortened Chazyan.

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