Models of Rodinia assembly and fragmentation

Abstract: Amongst existing palaeogeographic models of the Rodinia supercontinent, or portions thereof, arguments have focused upon geological relations or palaeomagnetic results, but rarely both. A new model of Rodinia is proposed, integrating the most recent palaeomagnetic data with current stratigraphic, geochronological and tectonic constraints from around the world. This ew model differs from its predecessors in five major aspects: cratonic Australia is positioned in he recently proposed AUSMEX fit against Laurentia; East Gondwanaland is divided among several blocks; the Congo-S~o Francisco and India-Rayner Cratons are positioned independently from Rodinia; Siberia is reconstructed against northern Laurentia, although i a different position than in all previous models; and Kalahari-Dronning Maud Land is connected with Western Australia. The proposed Rodinia palaeogeography is meant to serve as a working hypothesis for future refine-ments. There is general agreement that he Earth's continen-tal crust may have been assembled toform the super-continent, Rodinia, in the Late Mesoproterozoic and Early Neoproterozoic. Rodinia is thought o have been produced by collisional events of broadly Grenvillian (Late Mesoproterozoic) age, and to have been relatively long-lived (c. 1100-750Ma