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The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

CSPG Special Publications

Abstract


Canada's Continental Margins and Offshore Petroleum Exploration — Memoir 4, 1975
Pages 235-256
Atlantic Facing Margins

Phanerozoic Relative Motions of North Atlantic Arctic Lands

W. Brian Harland

Abstract

This paper reviews the several hypotheses for major relative motion between the changing lithosphere plates through Phanerozoic time and considers the evidence for them (stratigraphic, tectonic, geophysical), from the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean basins and lands (especially Canada, Greenland and north western Europe).

A kinematic, step by step sequence in reverse restores, by a series of named and defined phases, successively earlier configurations with comments on alternatives. By this means, some contradictions that result from single stage (continental drift) models are resolved.

The individual phases are considered in the following groups:

5. Atlantic phases Gakkel phase Alpha phase Early Atlantic phase Proto-Atlantic phase

4. Laurasian phases Pangean phase Early Laurasian phase

3. Mid-Paleozoic phases Acadian-Ellesmerian-Svalbardian phase Lomonosov phase? Main Caledonian phases

2. Iapetus phases Late Iapetus phases Early phase? Carolinidian orogeny Proto-Iapetus phases

1. Grenville Orogeny


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