The Imperial Formation is the name of two distinct and unrelated geologic formations in North America, of different geologic Eras.
| Imperial Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: 1.) Canada: Devonian of Paleozoic Era. 2.) California: Pliocene of Cenozoic Era. | |
| Type | Two separate geologic formations |
| Underlies | Palm Spring Formation (California) |
| Overlies | Ocotillo Formation (California) |
| Location | |
| Region | 1.) Northwest Territories, Canada 2.) Colorado Desert, Imperial County, California, United States |
Separate formations
Canadian Paleozoic Era formation
The older Imperial Formation occurs in the Northwest Territories of Canada. It preserves fossils dating back to the Devonian period of the Paleozoic Era.[1]
Californian Cenozoic Era formation
The younger Imperial Formation occurs in the Colorado Desert, in Imperial County of Southern California. It dates to the Zanclean−Lower Pliocene stage of the Pliocene Epoch, during the Neogene Period of the Cenozoic Era.
It underlies the Palm Spring Formation, and overlies the Ocotillo Formation.[2]
