Hostname: page-component-76d6cb85b7-s74w7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-07-22T11:00:38.248Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The pre-orogenic detrital zircon record of the Peri-Gondwanan crust

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 February 2018

TOBIAS STEPHAN*
Affiliation:
Institut für Geologie, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, B. v. Cotta Str. 2, 09599 Freiberg, Germany
UWE KRONER
Affiliation:
Institut für Geologie, TU Bergakademie Freiberg, B. v. Cotta Str. 2, 09599 Freiberg, Germany
ROLF L. ROMER
Affiliation:
Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
*
Author for correspondence: tobias.stephan@geo.tu-freiberg.de

Abstract

We present a statistical approach to data mining and quantitatively evaluating detrital age spectra for sedimentary provenance analyses and palaeogeographic reconstructions. Multidimensional scaling coupled with density-based clustering allows the objective identification of provenance end-member populations and sedimentary mixing processes for a composite crust. We compiled 58 601 detrital zircon U–Pb ages from 770 Precambrian to Lower Palaeozoic shelf sedimentary rocks from 160 publications and applied statistical provenance analysis for the Peri-Gondwanan crust north of Africa and the adjacent areas. We have filtered the dataset to reduce the age spectra to the provenance signal, and compared the signal with age patterns of potential source regions. In terms of provenance, our results reveal three distinct areas, namely the Avalonian, West African and East African–Arabian zircon provinces. Except for the Rheic Ocean separating the Avalonian Zircon Province from Gondwana, the statistical analysis provides no evidence for the existence of additional oceanic lithosphere. This implies a vast and contiguous Peri-Gondwanan shelf south of the Rheic Ocean that is supplied by two contrasting super-fan systems, reflected in the zircon provinces of West Africa and East Africa–Arabia.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2018 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 1

Stephan et al. supplementary material

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 1(File)
File 2.7 MB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 2

Stephan et al. supplementary material

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 2(File)
File 2.7 MB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 3

Stephan et al. supplementary material

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 3(File)
File 2.7 MB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 4

Stephan et al. supplementary material

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 4(File)
File 54.5 KB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 5

Supplementary Table

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 5(File)
File 57.5 KB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 6

Supplementary Table

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 6(File)
File 14.2 MB
Supplementary material: PDF

Stephan et al. supplementary material 7

Stephan et al. supplementary material

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 7(PDF)
PDF 315.3 KB
Supplementary material: File

Stephan et al. supplementary material 8

Supplementary Table

Download Stephan et al. supplementary material 8(File)
File 31.1 KB