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Mid-Proterozoic Supercontinent Rodinia: Its Basis and Extent
Gondwana Research, K 5, No. I, p. 205. 02002 lnternational Association for Gondwana Research, Japan. ISSN: 1342-937X
Gondwana Research
ABSTRACT
Mid-Proterozoic Supercontinent Rodinia: Its Basis and Extent N. Rast Department of Geological Sciences, Slone Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506-0053, U S A (Manuscript received February 20,2002; accepted May 22,2002)
The Supercontinent “Rodinia” has been first suggested as a mid-Proterozoic major crustal unit by McMenamin and McMenamin in the early nineties and later further extended and modified by Hoffman in 1991. It is sometimes indicated that the term is a derivative from Russian “Rodina” and the breakdown of Rodinia then resulted in the formation of the early Gondwanaland. This scenario, however, has not been justified in detail and has not been reconstructed kinematically. The basis of the hypothesis depends on Moore’s suggestion (1991) of the so-called “SWEAT” hypothesis, the evidence for which lies in a badly exposed terrane in Antarctica. Perhaps the most cogent evidence for a mid-Proterozoic
continent rests in the spread and partial continuity of the Grenvillian orogenic belt. This belt of several thousands kilometers length is partly obscured by later overprinting as for instance in Scandinavia, nevertheless suggest that it originated coliisionally and episodically and involved mainly movements of the Laurentian craton.
References Hoffman, P.F. (1991) Did the breakout of Laurentia turn Gondwanaland inside-out?Science, v. 252, pp. 1409-1412. Moores, E.M. (1991) Southwest U.S.-East Antarctic (SWEAT) connection: a hypothesis. Geology, v. 19, pp. 425-428.
Gondwana Research
ABSTRACT
Mid-Proterozoic Supercontinent Rodinia: Its Basis and Extent N. Rast Department of Geological Sciences, Slone Building, University of Kentucky, Lexington KY 40506-0053, U S A (Manuscript received February 20,2002; accepted May 22,2002)
The Supercontinent “Rodinia” has been first suggested as a mid-Proterozoic major crustal unit by McMenamin and McMenamin in the early nineties and later further extended and modified by Hoffman in 1991. It is sometimes indicated that the term is a derivative from Russian “Rodina” and the breakdown of Rodinia then resulted in the formation of the early Gondwanaland. This scenario, however, has not been justified in detail and has not been reconstructed kinematically. The basis of the hypothesis depends on Moore’s suggestion (1991) of the so-called “SWEAT” hypothesis, the evidence for which lies in a badly exposed terrane in Antarctica. Perhaps the most cogent evidence for a mid-Proterozoic
continent rests in the spread and partial continuity of the Grenvillian orogenic belt. This belt of several thousands kilometers length is partly obscured by later overprinting as for instance in Scandinavia, nevertheless suggest that it originated coliisionally and episodically and involved mainly movements of the Laurentian craton.
References Hoffman, P.F. (1991) Did the breakout of Laurentia turn Gondwanaland inside-out?Science, v. 252, pp. 1409-1412. Moores, E.M. (1991) Southwest U.S.-East Antarctic (SWEAT) connection: a hypothesis. Geology, v. 19, pp. 425-428.