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Vaalbara, Earth’s oldest assembled continent? A combined structural, geochronological, and palaeomagnetic test
Author(s) -
Zegers,
de Mh Martin Wit,
Dann,
; White
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3121.1998.00199.x
Subject(s) - supercontinent , geology , archean , craton , phanerozoic , paleontology , precambrian , crust , tectonics , cenozoic , structural basin
The only remaining areas of pristine 3.6–2.7 Ga crust on Earth are parts of the Kaapvaal and Pilbara cratons. General similarities of their rock records, especially of the overlying late Archean sequences, suggest that they were once part of a larger Vaalbara supercontinent. Here we show that the present geochronological, structural and palaeomagnetic data support such a Vaalbara model at least as far back as 3.1 Ga, and possibly further back to 3.6 Ga. Vaalbara fragmented prior to 2.1 Ga, and possibly as early as 2.7 Ga, suggesting supercontinent stability of at least 400 Myr, consistent with Neoproterozoic and Phanerozoic analogues.