High-precision geochronology of Precambrian ash layers in the Nama Group, Namibia

The late Ediacaran marks a critical interval in Earth’s history, as it witnessed significant global transformations in the climate system and variations in ocean chemistry. These profound changes affected the evolution and distribution of early animal life. The crisis of Ediacaran fauna likely favored the appearance of the first shelly fossils, considered the prelude to one of the most spectacular diversifications of animals, the Cambrian explosion. Due to the absence of precise temporal constraints, the link between the biosphere and climate changes during the late Ediacaran remains debated.
This project aims to fill this gap by providing new high-precision temporal constraints for the deposition of the sediments of the Nama Group in southern Namibia, one of the few localities worldwide preserving evidence of late Ediacaran biota. To achieve this goal, volcanic ash layers found within the sedimentary strata of the Nama Basin and sampled in the past two years will be dated using high-precision zircon U-Pb geochronology.
Participating institutions will benefit from the proposed project. The data we expect to produce are potentially of great interest and will be included scientific papers and presented at several scientific conferences in 2026, bringing international visibility to UQAM/Geotop and the University of Geneva.

Faculty Supervisor:

Joshua Davies

Student:

Partner:

University of Geneva

Discipline:

Earth science

Sector:

Education

University:

Université du Québec à Montréal

Program: