The Code

The Commission’s chief publication is the North American Stratigraphic Code, or simply, the Code, with the current version dating to 2005. The Code serves as a guide to all stratigraphic practices throughout North America, and is foremost among the regional codes that influenced the nature, content, and stratigraphic philosophy of the International Stratigraphic Guide. Although all changes to the Code are finalized by the Commission, the terms of Article 21 allow any geoscientist to submit proposals for changes or additions. Feel free to do so at our Contact us form.

The Commission is continually updating the 2005 Code in response to new developments, with occasional revisions to entire sections. A recently completed program to improve the clarity of the Code included a complete revision of the “On Biostratigraphic Units” section. Discussions for emending the “Hydrostratigraphic Units” section is in progress and extensive discussions are planned on the relationship between “Allostratigraphy” and “Sequence Stratigraphy” - including whether there should be a separate “Sequence Stratigraphy Units” section.

To better serve the North American community, the Instituto de Geologia de Mexico published the Code in Spanish in 2010.

Notes

NACSN Notes have been a staple of the Commission since its inception. They cover any NACSN related topics, such as changes in nomenclature, meeting minutes, and, other news.

Most Commission reports and notes have been published courtesy of the Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, including Notes submitted at irregular intervals - ranging from Note 1 to the most recent Note 66. At this time, the Journal of Stratigraphy is the offiical publication venue for NACSN publications.

• Set in Stone: The Work of the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature

In 2009, the journal Stratigraphy published a special issue, Set in Stone: The Work of the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, that offers a comprehensive view of the Commission. Chapters include a full history of the Commission and the successive stages in development of the Code, advice on its use, discussions of the theoretical and practical issues of time and rock units that are addressed in the Code, and the articles of procedure.

Stratigraphy

• Scott, R.W.; Brett, C.E.; Fluegeman, R. H., Jr.; Pratt, B. R.; and Landing, E. 2023. NORTH AMERICAN COMMISSION ON STRATIGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE Report 15 - Revised Articles 2, 61 and 62 of the North American Stratigraphic Code to Formalize Chemostratigraphic Units, Vol. 20, No. 3, pp 233-236.

• MacNaughton, R.B.; Dafoe, L.T.; Haggart, J.W. 2022. Note 72 – Application for Revisions to the North American Stratigraphic Code to Address Culturally Offensive or Inappropriate Unit Names and to Encourage the Use of Indigenous Place Names, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp 187-200, doi 10.29041/strat.19.3.03, N01

• North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature. 2021. North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp 153-204, doi 10.29041/strat.18.3.01. C01

• Aubry, M.-P.; Fluegeman, R.H.; Edwards, L.E.; Pratt, B.R.; Brett, C.E. 2020. Report 14 – Revision of Articles 73, 81, 82 and Table 2 of the North American Stratigraphic Code to Formalize Subseries and Subepochs, Vol. 17, No. 4, pp 315-316, https://doi.org/10.29041/strat.17.4.315-316, R01

• Scott, R.W.; Brett, C.E.; Fluegeman, R.H.; Pratt, B.R. 2020. Note 71 – Application for Addition of Chemostratigraphic Units to the North American Stratigraphic Code: A Case for Formalizing Chemostratigraphic Units, Vol. 17, No. 2 pp 135-139, https://doi.org/10.29041/strat.17.2.135-139, N02

• Fluegeman, R.H.; Brett, C.E.; Brunton, F.; Edwards, L.E.; Harper, H. 2020. Note 70 – Records of the Stratigraphic Commission 2014-2017, Vol. 17, No. 1 pp 59-62, doi 10.29041/strat.17.1.59-62, N03

• Brett, C.E.; Pratt, B.R.; Landing, E. 2019. Report 13 – Revision of Articles 25-27 of the North American Stratigraphic Code to Allow Formal Submembers, Vol. 16, No. 4 pp 279-281, https://doi.org/10.29041/strat.16.4.279-281, R02

• Aubry, M.-P.; Fluegeman, R.H.; Edwards, L.E.; Pratt, B.R.; Brett, C.E. 2019. Note 69 – Application for Addition of Subseries/Subepoch to the North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 15, No. 4 pp 261-263, doi 10.29041/strat.15.4.261-263, N04

• Brett, C.E.; Pratt, B.R.; Landing, E. 2018. Note 68 – Application for Addition of Submembers to the North American Stratigraphic Code: A Case for Formalizing Lithostratigraphic Units of Intermediate Rank, Vol. 15, No. 2 pp 103-108, https://doi.org/10.29041/strat.15.2.103-108, N05

• Easton, R.M.; Edwards, L.E.; Orndorff, R.C.; Duguet, M.; Ferrusquia-Villafranca, I. 2017. Report 12 – Revision of Article 37, Lithodemic Units, of the North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 13, No. 3 p. 220-222, R03

• Easton, R.M.; Edwards, L.E.; Orndorff, R.C.; Duguet, M.; Ferrusquia-Villafranca, I. 2015. Note 67 – Application for Revision of Article 37, Lithodemic Units, of the North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 12, No. 1 p. 39-45, N06

• Easton, R.M.; Catuneanu, O.; Donovan, A.D.; Fluegeman, R.H.; Hamblin, A.P.(Tony); Harper, H.; Lasca, N.P.; Morrow, J.R.; Orndorff, R.C.; Sadler, P.; Scott, R.W.; Tew, B.H.(Nick). 2014. Note 66 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 2003-2013, Vol. 11, No. 2 p. 143-157, N07

• Owen, D.E.; Lasca, N.P.; Edwards, L.E. 2009. Report 11 – Revised Articles of Organization and Procedure of the North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, Vol. 6, No. 2 pp 183-184, R04

AAPG Bulletin

• North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature. 2005. North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 89, No. 11 p. 1547-1591 , https://doi.org/10.1306/07050504129, C02

• Easton, R.M.; Jones, J.O.; Lenz, A.C.; Ferrusquia-Villafranca, I.; Mancini, E.A.; Wardlaw, B.R.; Edwards, L.E.; Pratt, B.R. 2005. Note 65 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1995-2002, Vol. 89, No. 11 p. 1459-1464, https://doi.org/10.1306/05230505015, N08

• Lenz, A.C.; Edwards, L.E.; Pratt, B.R. 2001. Note 64 – Application for Revision of Articles 48-54, Biostratigraphic Units, of the North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 85, No. 2 p. 372-375, N09

• Ferrusquia-Villafranca, I.; Easton, R.M.; Edwards, L.E.; Fakundiny, R.H.; Jones, J.O. 2001. Note 63 – Application for Amendment of the North American Stratigraphic Code Concerning Consistency and Updating Regarding Electronic Publishing, Vol. 85, No. 2 p. 366-371, N10

• Easton, R.M.; Baars, D.L.; Cook, D.G. 1997. Note 62 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1992-1994, Vol. 81, No. 8 p. 1342-1345, N11

• Edwards, L.E.; Owen, D.E. 1996. Note 61 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1991-1992, Vol. 80, No. 7 pp 1156-1159, N12

• Edwards, L.E. 1993. Note 60 – Application for Amendment of North American Stratigraphic Code to Clarify Relation of Allostratigraphic and Lithostratigraphic Units, Vol. 77, No. 5 p. 909-943, N13

• Chandler, F.W.; Jordan, R.R. 1992. Note 59 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1988-1990, Vol. 76, No 12 p. 1933-1934, N15

• Fakundiny, R.H.; Lundin, R.F. 1991. Note 58 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1986-1988, Vol. 75, No 7 p. 1275-1278, N16

• Fakundiny, R.H.; Longacre, S.A. 1989. Note 57 – Application for Amendment of North American Stratigraphic Code to Provide for Exclusive Informal Use of Morphological Terms such as Batholith, Intrusion, Pluton, Stock, Plug, Dike, Sill, Diapir, and Body, Vol. 73, No 11 p. 1452-1453, N17

• Embry, A.F.; Longacre, S.A. 1987. Note 56 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1984-1986, Vol. 71, No 11 p. 1434-1443, N18

• Owen, D.E.; Lasca, N.P. 1987. Note 55 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1982-1984, Vol. 71, No 3 pp 353-355, N19

• Jordan, R.R. 1986. Note 54 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1980-1982, Vol. 70, No 1 p. 98-102, N20

• Owen, D.E.; Lasca, N.P.; Schultz, E.H. 1985. Report 10 – New Articles of Organization and Procedure of North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature, Vol. 69, No 5 pp 872-873, R05

• North American Commission on Stratigraphic Nomenclature. 1983. North American Stratigraphic Code, Vol. 67, No 5 p. 841-875, C03

• Harrison, J.E.; Peterman, Z.E. 1982. Report 9 – Adoption of Geochronometric Units for Divisions of Precambrian Time, Vol. 66, No 6 pp 801-802, R06

• Jordan, R.R. 1982. Note 53 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1978-1980, Vol. 66, No 2 p. 238-240, N21

• Weiss, M.P.; Aitken, J.D. 1980. Note 51 – Records of Stratigraphic Commission, 1976-1978, Vol. 64, No 1 p. 136-137, N23

• Weiss, M.P. 1979. Note 50 – Proposal to Change Name of Commission, Vol. 63, No 10 p. 1986, N24

GSA Bulletin

• Harrison, J.E.; Peterman, Z.E. 1980. Note 52 – A Preliminary Proposal for a Chronometric Time Scale for the Precambrian of the United States and Mexico, Vol. 91, No 6 p. 377-380, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1980)91%3C377:NACOSN%3E2.0.CO;2, N22

• Henderson, J.B.; Caldwell, W.G.E.; Harrison, J.E. 1980. Report 8 – Amendment of Code Concerning Terminology for Igneous and High-Grade Metamorphic Rocks, Vol. 91, No 6 p. 374-376, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1980)91%3C374:NACOSN%3E2.0.CO;2, R07