Popis: |
The archetype of a cycle has played an essential role in explaining observations of nature over thousands of years. At present, this perception significantly influences the worldview of modern societies, including several areas of science. In Earth sciences, the concept of cyclicity offers simple analytical solutions in the face of complex events and their respective products, both in time and space. Current stratigraphic research integrates several methods to identify repetitive patterns in the stratigraphic record and to interpret oscillatory geological processes. This essay proposes a historical review of the cyclic conceptions from the earliest phases in Earth sciences to their subsequent evolution into current stratigraphic principles and practices, contributing to identifying opportunities in integrating methodologies and developing future research mainly associated with quantitative approaches. |