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Quantifying the Extent of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean During the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian
Author(s) -
Zhang Donghai,
Huang Baochun,
Zhao Guochun,
Meert Joseph G.,
Williams Simon,
Zhao Jie,
Zhou Tinghong
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2021gl094498
Subject(s) - permian , geology , carboniferous , paleontology , paleomagnetism , volcano , tectonics , viséan , structural basin
Dating the closure of the Paleo‐Asian Ocean (PAO) is critical to our understanding of East Asian tectonics during the formation of Pangea, yet existing estimates differ by up to 130 Myr (380–250 Ma). We report two robust paleomagnetic results from 320 to 280 Ma volcanic strata in the South Mongolia‐Xing’an Belt. Stable characteristic remanences of both results are likely primary and characterized by positive fold tests, consistent polarity with the Kiaman Superchron (∼318–262 Ma) and average paleosecular variation. The new results indicate that the northward motion of North China and Mongolia paralleled Laurussia from the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian. The N‐S width of the PAO in the east‐central segment (reference site: 43°N/114°E) was ca. 2,700 km during the Late Carboniferous to Early Permian. This wide ocean impeded floral and faunal exchange until the Guadalupian, prior to its final closure by ca. 250 Ma.