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

在过去的10亿年里，超级大陆(罗迪尼亚、冈瓦那和最近的泛古大陆)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序列为理解过去的古气候极端和生命的多样性提供了重要的背景。超大陆组装和扩散的大部分历史都被记录为沿着板块边界的裂谷、俯冲和造山，通常是在称为地体的独立地壳块体中。古地磁是确定大陆和地体过去运动和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，非常适合于推断地体与相邻大陆之间的方位和时间关系，解决古地理、构造旋转和变形的时间问题。我提出的古地磁和构造研究计划调查了古陆劳伦蒂亚(北美+格陵兰和北爱尔兰，苏格兰)与阿瓦洛尼亚和其他地体相互作用的关键问题，这些地体来自晚前寒武纪(约6.3亿年前)，一直到中古生代的盘古集合体。预计将在大西洋加拿大、育空和摩洛哥逐个项目地开展实地工作。古地磁实验室工作将通过安排与温莎大学的主要设施一起完成。相关的地质年代学和其他辅助研究将作为学生论文的组成部分并通过合作完成。这项研究扎实地基于我现有的研究优势，代表了许多本科生、研究生和其他HQP机会。我提议的方案的总体目标是解决与劳伦蒂亚、阿瓦洛尼亚、西冈瓦那元素和其他地体之间的构造关系的关键问题，这些地体位于迄今尚不清楚的全球古地理的核心，即罗迪尼亚通过古生代的盘古组合在前寒武纪晚期解体。

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.