Environmental factors for around 480 million years ago in the Voyage area
Rock Name
Lickey Quartzite
Lithology (appearance)
Quartzite, pale grey and purple (ranging from lithic arenite, subarkose to quartzite) and thin beds of fissile mudstone and possibly tuff.
Period
Ordovician
How old
Around 480 million years
Environment of rock formation
Beach (littoral) or near shore (sub-littoral)
Climate
Warm – although forming at 55′ south of Equator, Earth was in a hot house state
Latitude
55′ south of Equator
Oxygen as percentage of atmosphere
19% (21% today)
Carbon Dioxide as parts per million of atmosphere composition
4400ppm (around 415ppm today and rising)
Maximum day time temperatures
35’C
Minimum night time temperature
15’C
Sea temperature
Warm
Weather risk
High winds. Rough seas. Heat.
Midday Sun
Sun low in northern sky
UV index
4
Earthquake risk (scale 1 low risk to 9 high risk)
10
Tectonic
On northward moving plate with a subduction zone in front.</
Volcano risk
Possibly to NW – ash deposits
Top predator
Giant Cephalopod – in the sea
Animal Life
Possibly some arthropods
Plant Life
Primitive plants appearing.
Humidity
Rainfall
Heavy
Wind
Day length
20.5 hours
Days in year
420