U.S.-Argentina Collaborative Study: A Test of Ordovician Iapetus Paleogeophraphic Models Using K-bentonite Stratigraphy and Geochemistry

9513128赫夫这项美国和阿根廷的合作研究工作将测试两个古地理重建，试图解释北美和南美洲之间明显的早古生代联系。另一种可能是劳伦西亚在中奥陶世与南美洲西部相撞，或者是一块劳伦蒂斯在寒武纪后期分离并向南漂移，积聚到南美洲的西缘。辛辛那提大学的沃伦·赫夫、伊利诺伊州地质调查局的丹尼斯·科拉塔、俄亥俄州立大学的斯蒂格·伯格斯特罗姆、拉普拉塔国立大学的卡洛斯·辛戈拉尼以及其他7名阿根廷研究人员将组成一个相互关联的专业团队来检验这两个假说。最近发现的钾膨润土层表明，有可能确定奥陶系火山灰层的地层和平面分布，以及它们解决替代假设的能力。这项拟议的研究将通过在阿根廷的实地工作和在美国和阿根廷进行的广泛数据分析来产生国际合作。为了确保野外研究的成功，阿根廷在构造和构造学、笔石学、岩石学和地球化学、古生物学和地层学方面的专家也被包括在内。一名研究生也将前往阿根廷参加该项目。****

9513128 Huff This U.S.-Argentina collaborative research effort will test two paleogeographic reconstructions attempting to explain an apparent early Paleozoic connection between North and South America. The alternatives would either have Laurentia colliding with western South America during the Middle Ordovician or a piece of Laurentia breaking off later in Cambrian time and drifting south, accreting to the western margin of South America. The collaboration between Warren Huff of the University of Cincinnati, Dennis Kolata of the Illinois State Geological Survey, Stig Bergstrom of Ohio State University, and Carlos Cingolani of the Universidad Nacional de la Plata together with 7 other Argentine investigators will create a team in interrelated specialties to carry out the test of the two hypotheses. Recent finds of beds of K-bentonites suggest the possibility of determining the stratigraphic and areal distribution of Ordovician volcanic ash beds and their ability to resolve the alternative hypotheses. The proposed research will produce an international collaboration through field work in Argentina and extensive data analysis carried out in both the U.S. and Argentina. To assure successful field studies, Argentine specialists in structure and tectonics, graptolites, petrology and geochemistry, paleontology, and stratigraphy have been included. One graduate student will also travel to Argentina to participate in the project. ****