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Late Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic Tectonothermal Events in East Antarctica: Implications for Amalgamation of the Gondwana Supercontinent

LIU Xiao-chun1, ZHAO Yue1, LIU Xiao-han2, HU Jian-min1   

  1. 1. Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100081, China 2. Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100029, China
  • Received:2007-09-20 Revised:2007-09-20 Online:2007-09-20 Published:2007-09-20

Abstract: Three late Neoproterozoic-early Paleozoic orogenic belts, East African Orogen, Prydz Belt and Ross Orogen, occur in East Antarctica. The East African Orogen extends southward to the Lützow-Holm Bay-Dronning Maud Land-Shackleton Range area. The area is interpreted as the southern part of the suture between East and West Gondwana blocks due to the appearance of ophiolites, eclogite-facies ultramafic rocks and thrust-nappe structures.The Ross Orogen is exposed in the Transantarctic Mountains and is considered as the active margin of the Gondwana supercontinent. The geological records of continental break-up, oceanic crustal subduction and terrane accretion are preserved in the orogen. The Prydz Belt occurs in the Prydz Bay and Denman Glacier, and is located in the interior of a previously proclaimed unified East Gondwana. The absence of subduction-related rocks, such as ophiolite suite, arc accretionary complex and high-pressure blueschist and eclogite, resulted in the argument that the Prydz Belt represents whether a collisional zone or an intraplate reworking belt. The determination of the nature of the Prydz Belt would constrain not only the amalgamation scenario of the Gondwana supercontinent, but also the reconstruction pattern of the Rodinia supercontinent. Therefore, the Prydz Belt is the key to understand the global tectonic evolution during the Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic.