Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-1-2020
Department
Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences
Abstract
The mode and rates of tectonic processes and lithospheric growth during the Archean [4.0 to 2.5 billion years (Ga) ago] are subjects of considerable debate. Paleomagnetism may contribute to the discussion by quantifying past plate velocities. We report a paleomagnetic pole for the ~3180 million year (Ma) old Honeyeater Basalt of the East Pilbara Craton, Western Australia, supported by a positive fold test and micromagnetic imaging. Comparison of the 44°±15° Honeyeater Basalt paleolatitude with previously reported paleolatitudes requires that the average latitudinal drift rate of the East Pilbara was ≥2.5 cm/year during the ~170 Ma preceding 3180 Ma ago, a velocity comparable with those of modern plates. This result is the earliest unambiguous evidence yet uncovered for long-range lithospheric motion. Assuming this motion is due primarily to plate motion instead of true polar wander, the result is consistent with uniformitarian or episodic tectonic processes in place by 3.2 Ga ago.
Publication Title
Science Advances
Recommended Citation
Brenner, A.,
Fu, R.,
Evans, D.,
Smirnov, A.,
Trubko, R.,
&
Rose, I.
(2020).
Paleomagnetic evidence for modern-like plate motion velocities at 3.2 Ga.
Science Advances,
6(17).
http://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz8670
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/2719
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Version
Publisher's PDF
Publisher's Statement
© 2020 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works. Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial License 4.0 (CC BY-NC). Publisher’s version of record: https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aaz8670