Ancient Supercontinents and the Paleogeography of Earth

A state-of-the-art resource for understanding the paleogeography of Earth in the context of supercontinent cycles

Lauri J. Pesonen (Edited by), Johanna Salminen (Edited by), Sten-Ake Elming (Edited by), David A.D. Evans (Edited by), Toni Veikkolainen (Edited by)

9780128185339, Elsevier Science

Paperback, published 8 October 2021

662 pages, 160 illustrations (100 in full color)
27.6 x 21.5 x 4 cm, 1.79 kg

Ancient Supercontinents and the Paleogeography of Earth offers a systematic examination of Precambrian cratons and supercontinents. Through detailed maps of drift histories and paleogeography of each continent, this book examines topics related to Earth’s tectonic evolution prior to Pangea, including plate kinematics, orogenic development, and paleoenvironments. Additionally, this book discusses the methodologies used, principally paleomagnetism and tectonostratigraphy, and addresses geophysical topics of mantle dynamics and geodynamo evolution over billions of years. Structured clearly with consistent coverage for Precambrian cratons, this book combines state-of-the-art paleomagnetic and geochronologic data to reconstruct the paleogeography of the Earth in the context of major climatic events such as global glaciations. It is an ideal, up-to-date reference for geoscientists and geographers looking for answers to questions surrounding the tectonic evolution of Earth.

1. Precambrian supercontinents and supercycles--an overview
2. A mantle dynamics perspective on the drift of cratons and supercontinent formation in Earth´s history
3. Precambrian geomagnetic field: An overview
4. The Precambrian paleogeography of Laurentia
5. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of Baltica
6. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of Amazonia
7. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of Rio de la Plata craton
8. The Precambrian paleogeography of Siberia
9. Whence Australia: Its Precambrian drift history and paleography
10. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of India
11. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of the Chinese cratons
12. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of Kalahari Craton
13. Constraints on the Precambrian paleogeography of West African Craton
14. The Precambrian drift history and paleogeography of Congo-São Francisco craton
15. Neoarchean-Paleoproterozoic supercycles
16. Paleo-Mesoproterozoic Nuna supercycle
17. Meso-Neoproterozoic Rodinia supercycle
18. Phanerozoic paleogeography and Pangea
19. An expanding list of reliable paleomagnetic poles for Precambrian tectonic reconstructions

Subject Areas: Palaeontology [RBX], Historical geology [RBGF], Geology & the lithosphere [RBG], Geophysics [PHVG], Electricity, electromagnetism & magnetism [PHK]