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Supercontinent Cycles Through Earth History
Geological Society, London, Special Publications

Supercontinent Cycles Through Earth History
CONTAINS OPEN ACCESS

Editor(s)
Z. X. Li
Z. X. Li
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D. A. D. Evans
D. A. D. Evans
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J. B. Murphy
J. B. Murphy
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Geological Society of London
Volume
424
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1144/SP424
Copyright:
Gold Open Access: This article is published under the terms of the CC-BY 3.0 license.
ISBN electronic:
9781862399563
ISBN print:
9781862397330
Publication date:
January 01, 2016

The supercontinent-cycle hypothesis attributes planetary-scale episodic tectonic events to an intrinsic self-organizing mode of mantle convection, governed by the buoyancy of continental lithosphere that resists subduction during the closure of old ocean basins, and the consequent reorganization of mantle convection cells leading to the opening of new ocean basins. Characteristic timescales of the cycle are typically 500 to 700 million years. Proposed spatial patterns of cyclicity range from hemispheric (introversion) to antipodal (extroversion), to precisely between those end members (orthoversion). Advances in our understanding can arise from theoretical or numerical modelling, primary data acquisition relevant to continental reconstructions, and spatiotemporal correlations between plate kinematics, geodynamic events and palaeoenvironmental history. The palaeogeographic record of supercontinental tectonics on Earth is still under development. The contributions in this Special Publication provide snapshots in time of these investigations and indicate that Earth’s palaeogeographic record incorporates elements of all three end-member spatial patterns.

Book Chapter

Australia and Nuna

Author(s)
P. G. Betts
P. G. Betts
1
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800, Australia
*

*
Corresponding author (e-mail: [email protected])

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R. J. Armit
R. J. Armit
1
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800, Australia
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J. Stewart
J. Stewart
1
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800, Australia
5
Present address: PGN Geoscience, GPO BOX 1033, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
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A. R. A. Aitken
A. R. A. Aitken
2
Centre for Exploration Targeting, The University of Western Australia (M006), Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
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L. Ailleres
L. Ailleres
1
School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment, Monash University, Clayton Campus, VIC 3800, Australia
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P. Donchak
P. Donchak
3
Geological Survey of Queensland, Level 10, 119 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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L. Hutton
L. Hutton
3
Geological Survey of Queensland, Level 10, 119 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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I. Withnall
I. Withnall
3
Geological Survey of Queensland, Level 10, 119 Charlotte Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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D. Giles
D. Giles
4
Centre for Mineral Exploration Under Cover, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Doi:
https://doi.org/10.1144/SP424.2
  • Published:
    January 01, 2016

Abstract

The Australian continent records c. 1860–1800 Ma orogenesis associated with rapid accretion of several ribbon micro-continents along the southern and eastern margins of the proto-North Australian Craton during Nuna assembly. The boundaries of these accreted micro-continents are imaged in crustal-scale seismic reflection data, and regional gravity and aeromagnetic datasets. Continental growth (c. 1860–1850 Ma) along the southern margin of the proto-North Australian Craton is recorded by the accretion of a micro-continent that included the Aileron Terrane (northern Arunta Inlier) and the Gawler Craton. Eastward growth of the North Australian Craton occurred during the accretion of the Numil Terrane and the Abingdon Seismic Province, which forms part of a broader zone of collision between the northwestern margins of Laurentia and the proto-North Australian Craton. The Tickalara Arc initially accreted with the Kimberley Craton at c. 1850 Ma and together these collided with the proto-North Australian Craton at c. 1820 Ma. Collision between the West Australian Craton and the proto-North Australian Craton at c. 1790–1760 Ma terminated the rapid growth of the Australian continent.

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