Cathaysia
Cathaysia was a microcontinent or a group of terranes that rifted off Gondwana during the Late Paleozoic.
Terminology
The terms "Cathaysia", "Cathaysialand" and "Cathaysia Terrane" have been used by various authors for different continental blocks or terranes and assemblages thereof. During the Devonian, the South China and Indochina continents had separated from Gondwana and they collided during the Carboniferous to finally form a superterrane in the Permian. "Cathaysia" has been used for some or all of the constellations involved in this tectonic journey.[1] For example, in Li et al. 2008 South China formed from the amalgamation of the "Yangtse and Cathaysia Blocks", whilst Scotese & McKerrow 1990 groups North China, South China, and Indochina into the "Cathaysian terranes".[2]
Cathaysia, sensu Scotese, are a few of the almost 70 microcontinents that are involved in the formation of Asia.[3] Furthermore, Cathaysia, both sensu Scotese and Li et al., is grouped among the "lonely wanderers" of Meert 2014 — smaller continents whose position varies dramatically between plate reconstructions.[4]
Paleoclimate
During the Permian Cathaysia/South China was located near the Equator and within the Paleo-Tethys Ocean together with the North China continent and these two small continents share what is often called the "Cathaysian floras and faunas" (in contrast to the "Gondwanan floras and faunas").[5] As North and South China collided during the Late Triassic the Qinling Ocean closed.[6] South China was covered with coal forests formed by seed ferns of the order Callistophytales, whilst tree-like Lycopodiophytes survived into the Permian.
See also
References
Notes
- ↑ Metcalfe 2002, South China/Indochina Super Terrane, pp. 552, 554
- ↑ Li et al. 2008, Geological setting, pp. 342–343; Scotese & McKerrow 1990, Table 1, p. 3
- ↑ Rino et al. 2008, p. 54; Fig. 6, p. 59
- ↑ Meert 2014, The lonely wanderers (North China, South China, Kalahari/Kaapvaal, Tarim), p. 161
- ↑ Metcalfe 2002, Abstract
- ↑ Scotese & McKerrow 1990, p. 17
Sources
- Li, W. X.; Li, X. H.; Li, Z. X. (2005). "Neoproterozoic bimodal magmatism in the Cathaysia Block of South China and its tectonic significance". Precambrian Research. 136 (1): 51–66. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2004.09.008.
- Li, X. H.; Li, W. X.; Li, Z. X.; Liu, Y. (2008). "850–790 Ma bimodal volcanic and intrusive rocks in northern Zhejiang, South China: a major episode of continental rift magmatism during the breakup of Rodinia". Lithos. 102 (1): 341–357. doi:10.2475/09.2010.08. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Meert, J. G. (2014). "Strange attractors, spiritual interlopers and lonely wanderers: the search for pre-Pangean supercontinents" (PDF). Geoscience Frontiers. 5 (2): 155–166. doi:10.1016/j.gsf.2013.12.001. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Metcalfe, I. (2002). "Permian tectonic framework and palaeogeography of SE Asia" (PDF). Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 20 (6): 551–566. doi:10.1016/s1367-9120(02)00022-6. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Rino, S.; Kon, Y.; Sato, W.; Maruyama, S.; Santosh, M.; Zhao, D. (2008). "The Grenvillian and Pan-African orogens: world's largest orogenies through geologic time, and their implications on the origin of superplume" (PDF). Gondwana Research. 14 (1): 51–72. doi:10.1016/j.gr.2008.01.001. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Scotese, C. R.; McKerrow, W. S. (1990). "Revised world maps and introduction" (PDF). Geological Society, London, Memoirs. 12 (1): 1–21. doi:10.1144/gsl.mem.1990.012.01.01. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Shu, L. S.; Faure, M.; Yu, J. H.; Jahn, B. M. (2011). "Geochronological and geochemical features of the Cathaysia block (South China): new evidence for the Neoproterozoic breakup of Rodinia" (PDF). Precambrian Research. 187 (3): 263–276. doi:10.1016/j.precamres.2011.03.003. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- Wang, Q.; Liu, X. (1986). "Paleoplate tectonics between Cathaysia and Angaraland in inner Mongolia of China". Tectonics. 5 (7): 1073–1088. doi:10.1029/TC005i007p01073.