GSSP project

GSSP is the acronym for GLOBAL STRATOTYPE SECTION AND POINT, geological sites of international interest.
A GSSP is a point on a stratigraphic section, whose thickness ranges from a few meters to tens of meters, defining the lower boundary of a stage on the chronostratigraphic scale, based on a global standard. They are, therefore, Geosite of global importance, as they represent the standard of reference for the definition of a given chronostratigraphic limit, ie the basis of a unit of various ranks (eratema, system, series, piano).
Each GSSP is chosen after thorough and documented research by experts of that particular time interval and is voted on by a specific committee of the ICS (International Commission on Stratigraphy), body of the IUGS (International Union of Geological Sciences).
In 2008, ISPRA started a project to enhance the Italian GSSP, meeting with the directors of nine municipalities; printing a plaque to be placed on the site and creating a geodatabase available at: http://sgi2.isprambiente.it/geositiweb/gssp/.

In Italy at the moment there are 9 of the GSSP:

9. Vrica (Crotone, Calabria). Defines the base of Calabriano (Pleistocene).
8. Monte San Nicola (Butera, Caltanissetta, Sicilia). Defines the base of Gelasiano (Pleistocene).
7. Punta Piccola (Agrigento, Sicilia). Defines the base of (Pliocene).
6. Eraclea Minoa (Agrigento, Sicilia). Defines the base of Zancleano (Pliocene).
5. Monte dei Corvi (Ancona, Marche). Defines the base of Tortoniano (Miocene).
4. Carrosio (Alessandria, Piemonte). Defines the base of Aquitaniano (Miocene).
3. Massignano (Ancona, Marche). Defines the base of Rupeliano (Oligocene).
2. Prati di Stuores (Bolzano, Trentino Alto Adige) Defines the base of Carnico (Triassico).
1. Bagolino (Brescia, Lombardia). Defines the base of Ladinico (Triassico).