Evolution of Laurussia: A Study in Late Palaeozoic Plate Tectonics

This volume aims at providing earth scientists Laurussia. Some fundamental discrepancies with an overview of the late Palaeozic evolu- were recognised between the different data sets tion of North America, Europe, the Arctic and that required modifications of the hitherto ac- North Africa in a plate tectonic framework. cepted palaeomagnetically controlled continent reconstructions. As a next step, regional palaeo- Plate motions are reviewed that underly the late geographical maps were constructed for North Silurian-early Devonian suturing of Laurentia- America, Europe and North Africa on the basis Greenland and Fennosarmatia, the principal of published data and in-house studies of the constituents of Laurussia, the Devonian and Shell Group of companies. These maps were early Carboniferous accretion of Gondwana- digitised and transferred to modified palaeo- derived continental fragments to the southern reconstructions of the continents that were margin of Laurussia and of Arctica to its made with the aid of an Evans and Sutherland northern margin, and ultimately the late Car- PS-300 vector graphics terminal. boniferous to Permian suturing of Laurussia with Gondwana, Kazakhstan and Siberia. An During the evaluation of the validity of account is given of the evolution of sedimen- modified palaeoreconstruction of the con- tary basins that developed during late Silurian tinents, as presented in this volume, special at- to late Permian times, within and along the tention was given to the timing of orogenic margins of Laurussia.