Pacific microplate and the Pangea supercontinent in the Early to Middle Jurassic

Abstract

Research Article| August 01, 2001 Pacific microplate and the Pangea supercontinent in the Early to Middle Jurassic Annachiara Bartolini; Annachiara Bartolini 1Institut de Géologie et Paléontologie, Université de Lausanne, Bâtiment des Facultés des Sciences Humaines 2, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Roger L. Larson Roger L. Larson 2Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island 02882, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2001) 29 (8): 735–738. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0735:PMATPS>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 27 Nov 2000 rev-recd: 12 Apr 2001 accepted: 03 May 2001 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Annachiara Bartolini, Roger L. Larson; Pacific microplate and the Pangea supercontinent in the Early to Middle Jurassic. Geology 2001;; 29 (8): 735–738. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0735:PMATPS>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract New biostratigraphic data based on radiolarians recovered from deep within the oceanic crustal section of Ocean Drilling Program Hole 801C in the western Pacific, along with existing radiometric information, date this oceanic crust as late Bajocian–early Bathonian (170–165 Ma). The overlying basal sediments at Hole 801C are essentially identical in age (middle Bathonian, 164–162 Ma) to the basal sediments at Deep Sea Drilling Program Hole 534A in the central Atlantic. We estimate the time of formation of the Pacific plate as 175–170 Ma and the time of initial separation of the Pangea supercontinent in the central Atlantic as 190–180 Ma. We also identify a time of extensive subduction-zone magmatism (175–159 Ma) at the eastern and western edges of Pangea. We suggest that the initial plate separation of Pangea increased subduction rates at its outer margins and altered the plate boundaries in the Pacific superocean, leading to formation of the Pacific plate. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.