Mississippian (geology)

The Mississippian, also called the Lower Carboniferous or Early Carboniferous, was an important time in Earth's history. It was a subperiod in the geologic timescale, lasting from about 358.86 to 323.4 million years ago. This time is part of the larger Carboniferous period, which had two subperiods, with the Mississippian being the earlier one.

The Mississippian got its name because rocks from this time are found exposed in the Mississippi Valley. During this period, sea levels were very high in the Northern Hemisphere. Only places like the Fennoscandian Shield and the Laurentian Shield were above water. Most areas had shallow seas, lagoons, and deltas around the landmasses.

In North America, rocks from the Mississippian are mostly made of marine limestones. This time sits between the Devonian and the Pennsylvanian periods. Important mountain-building events happened during this time, especially in the Appalachian Mountains. In Europe, the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian are grouped together and called the Carboniferous system.

Subdivisions

The Mississippian time period is split into three main stages: the Serpukhovian, Visean, and Tournaisian. These names come from places in Europe and Russia.

In North America, the Mississippian is divided into four stages: Chesterian, Meramecian, Osagean, and Kinderhookian. These stages help scientists understand the order of rocks from this ancient time.