Paleogeography of the Carolina Terrane: Constraints from Detrital Zircon Ages

9909120萨姆森卡罗莱纳的古地理位置，包括其增生到劳伦提斯的时间，都没有受到很好的限制。 本研究将确定卡罗莱纳造山带内碎屑沉积岩中碎屑锆石的年龄分布，并将这些年龄组与各造山带的已知年龄进行比较。 碎屑锆石从三个不同的年龄，包括新元古代，寒武纪和奥陶纪的砂岩，将进行检查，以确定是否发生任何根本性的变化，年龄分布可以与不同的古地理位置。 来自奥陶纪砂岩的碎屑锆石的年龄将被用来检验以下假设：卡罗莱纳岩在中奥陶纪与东部劳伦大陆边缘有密切的空间联系，并在奥陶纪末增生到劳伦大陆。

9909120SamsonThe paleogeographic positions of the Carolina terrane, including the timing of its accretion to Laurentia, are poorly constrained. This study will determine the age distribution of detrital zircons from clastic sedimentary rocks within the Carolina terrane and compare the age groups with known ages of orogenic belts from various cratons. Detrital zircons from sandstones of three different ages, including Neoproterozoic, Cambrian, and Ordovician, will be examined to determine if any fundamental changes in age distributions occur that can be correlated to different paleogeographic positions. The ages of detrital zircons from Ordovician sandstones will be used to test the hypothesis that the Carolina terrane was in close spatial association with the eastern Laurentian margin in mid-Ordovician time and had accreted to Laurentia by the end of the Ordovician.