Reconstructing the ancient arrangement of the continents requires
paleomagneticpaleoclimaticgeochronologictectonicsedimentologic biogeographic fossil data.
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleomagnetic evidence provides information on the latitude at which the rocks formed.
The orientation of the continent can be determined from the direction to the paleomagnetic pole, as recorded by bits of iron in the rock.
Longitudes, however, cannot be determined (which accounts for some of the differences in the paleogeographic reconstructions).
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Using rock typespaleoclimate can be determined
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Glacial deposits
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Coal swamp deposits
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Reef carbonates
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Evaporites
Paleoclimatic data
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
Paleoclimatic evidence comes from environmentally-sensitive sedimentary rock types:
Evaporites
Ice House vs. Hot House
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSPALEOGEOGRAPHY
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSLATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Laurentia Baltica Siberia
Gondwanaland
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSLATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSLATE NEOPROTEROZOIC PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Late Proterozoic Glaciation (Ice House)
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Cambrian named after Cambria, latin for Wales named by Adam Sedgewick (1830’s)
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Continents have moved off poles
Glaciers have melted
Sea level rising
Epeiric seas begin to develop
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Global temperatures warm
Formation of Iapetus Ocean (proto-Atlantic)
Ouachita Trough begins to develop
Ouachita Trough
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Early Cambrian
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Early Cambrian
Shallow seas cover many continentsEvaporite rocks deposited near equator
EARLY PALEOZOIC EVENTSCAMBRIAN PALEOGEOGRAPHY
Development of a shallow epeiric or epicontinental sea
Continent situated on the equator, so waters most likely warm
Significant carbonate deposits accumulate
Deep water sediments (shales) are accumulating on margins
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