Relationship between paleomagnetism and tectonics during signature events in the assembly and dispersal of supercontinents

在过去的十亿年里，超级大陆（Rodinia，Gondwana和最近的Pangea）的组装，分裂和分散是地球上一个基本的板块构造过程。在超大陆旋回中看到的全球古地理的连续性为理解过去的古气候极端和生命的多样化提供了重要的背景。大部分超大陆的组装和分散的历史都被记录为沿着沿着板块边界的裂谷、俯冲和造山运动，通常是在被称为板块的独立地壳块体中。古地磁学是确定大陆和陆块过去运动以及造山带构造演化的关键定量地球物理工具。古地磁学与地质年代学相结合，非常适合于推断大陆和相邻大陆之间的方向和时间关系，以解决古地理，构造旋转和变形的时间。我提出的古地磁和构造研究计划调查古大陆劳伦（北美+格陵兰和北方爱尔兰，苏格兰）与阿瓦隆尼亚和其他前寒武纪晚期（约1000年）的相互作用的关键问题。6.3亿年前）通过中古生代联合古陆。预计将在加拿大大西洋地区、育空地区和摩洛哥逐个项目地开展实地工作。古地磁实验室的工作将通过与温莎大学的首要设施的安排来完成。相关的地质年代学和其他支持研究将作为学生论文的一个组成部分，并通过合作。这项研究是基于我现有的研究实力，并代表了许多本科生，研究生和其他HQP的机会。我所提出的计划的总体目标是解决有关劳伦，阿瓦隆尼亚，西冈瓦纳和其他大陆元素之间的构造关系的关键问题，这些问题位于尚未充分了解的全球古地理的核心，通过古生代组装的联合古陆的Rodinia的晚前寒武纪解体。

The assembly, breakup and dispersal of supercontinents over the past billion years (Rodinia, Gondwana and, most recently, Pangea) is a fundamental plate tectonic process on Earth. The succession of global paleogeographies seen in the supercontinent cycle provides an important context for understanding past paleoclimatic extremes and the diversification of life. Much of the history of supercontinent assembly and dispersal is recorded as rifting, subduction and mountain building along plate boundaries, often in independent crustal blocks called terranes. Paleomagnetism is a key quantitative geophysical tool for defining the past motions of continents and terranes and the structural evolution of mountain belts. Paleomagnetism, in conjunction with geochronology, is ideally suited to deduce the orientation and timing relationships between terranes and adjacent continents, to resolve paleogeography, structural rotations and the timing of deformation. My proposed paleomagnetic and tectonic research program investigates key questions in the interaction of the paleocontinent Laurentia (North America + Greenland and Northern Ireland, Scotland) with Avalonia and other terranes from the Late Precambrian (ca. 630 million years ago) through the mid Paleozoic assembly of Pangea. Fieldwork is anticipated to take place on a project-by-project basis in Atlantic Canada, Yukon and Morocco. Paleomagnetic laboratory work is to be done by arrangement with the premier facility at the University of Windsor. Associated geochronology and other supporting research will be done as an integral part of student theses and via collaborations. This research is based solidly on my existing research strengths, and represents many undergraduate, graduate student and other HQP opportunities. The overall goal of my proposed program is to solve the key questions concerning the tectonic relations between Laurentia, Avalonia, elements of West Gondwana and other terranes which lie at the core of the as-yet poorly understood global paleogeography of the Late Precambrian breakup of Rodinia through the Paleozoic assembly of Pangea.