Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Kinematics of late Paleozoic continental collision between Laurentia and Gondwana

Journal Article · · Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States)
;  [1]
  1. Univ. of South Carolina, Columbia (United States)

In the Appalachians, late Paleozoic Alleghanian orogenesis is widely regarded as resulting form dextral oblique collision between irregular margins of Gondwana and Laurentia. However, this relative plate motion cannot account for coeval convergence in the Ouachitas and Variscides and is incompatible with some tectonic transport indicators in the Appalachians. An alternative kinematic model is proposed in which early sinistral transpression in the Appalachians is followed by counterclockwise rotation of Gondwana and the development of a system of dextral strike-slip faults extending from southern Europe to Alabama.

OSTI ID:
6140417
Journal Information:
Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States), Journal Name: Science (Washington, D.C.); (United States) Vol. 250:4988; ISSN SCIEA; ISSN 0036-8075
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English