Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Article
  • Published:

Preliminary Phanerozoic polar wander paths for the North and South China blocks

Abstract

Polar wander paths for the North and South China blocks suggest that (1) both were parts of Gondwana in the Palaeozoic, (2) the North China block accreted to Siberia in the late Permian and (3) the South China block accreted to the North China block in the middle Triassic to the early Jurassic. Comparison of the polar wander path for the South China block with that for northern Eurasia suggests that relative motion of over 4,000 km has occurred between them.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Chang, W. Y. & Nairn, A. E. M. Nature 183, 254 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Wang, T., Teng, H., Li, C. & Ye, S. Acta geophys. sin. 9, 125–138 (1960).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Li Huamei & Ye Sujan in On Tectonics (ed. Inst. Geol. Acad. Sinica) 150–163 (Science Press, Peking, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Irving, E. Palaeomagnetism (Wiley, New York, 1964).

    Google Scholar 

  5. McElhinny, M. W. Palaeomagnetism and Plate Tectonics (Cambridge University Press, 1973).

  6. McElhinny, M. W., Embleton, B.J.J., Ma, X. H. & Zhang, Z.K. Nature 293, 212–216 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Lin, Jin-lu, thesis, Univ. California Santa Barbara (1984).

  8. Otofuji, Y., Jin, Y. O., Hirajima, T., Kyung, D. M. & Sasajima, S. in The Tectonic and Geologic Evolution of Southeast Asian Seas and Islands: part 2 (ed. Hayes, D. E.) 388–396 (American Geophysical Union, Washington DC, 1983).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  9. Kienzle, J. & Scharon, L. J. Geomagn. Geoelectr. 18, 413–416 (1966).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cheng Guoliang & Fang Zhongjing . Seismol. Geol. 2, 76 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Gurariy, G. Z., Kropotkin, P. N., Pevzner, M. A., Ro Vu Son & Trubikhin, V. M. Akad. Nauk. SSSR Izv. Earth Sci. 128–136 (1966).

  12. Irving, E. & Irving, A. Geophys. Surv. 5, 141–188 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Bambach, R. K., Scotese, C. R. & Ziegler, A. M. Am. Sci. 68, 26–38 (1980).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Palmer, A. R. Am. Sci. 62, 216–224 (1974).

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lu Yanhao et al. Mem. Nanking Inst. geol. Palaeont. Acad. Sin. 5, 27–111 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Burrett, C. F. & Richardson, R. Tectonophysics 63, 155–192 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Brown, D. A., Campbell, K. S. W. & Crook, K. A. W. The Geological Evolution of Australia and New Zealand (Pergamon, Oxford, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Chang, W. T. J. Geol. Soc. Austr. 27, 137–150 (1980).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Mu Anzhi in Palaeobiogeographic Provinces of China (ed. Yanhao, L.) 16–31 (Science, Beijing, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Sonnenfeld, P. Tethys, the Ancient Mediterranean (Academic, London, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Meyerhoff, A. A. J. Geol. 78, 1–51 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Meyerhoff, A. A. & Meyerhoff, H. A. Bull. Am. Ass. Petrol. Geol. 56, 269–337 (1972).

    Google Scholar 

  23. Dietz, R. S. & Holden, J. C. J. geophys. Res. 75, 4939–56 (1970).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Mintz, L. W. Historical Geology, the Science of a Dynamic Earth 2nd edn (Merrill, Columbus, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Scotese, C. R., Bambach, R. K., Barton, R. Van der Voo, R. & Ziegler, A. M. J. Geol. 87, 217–277 (1979).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Morel, P. & Irving, E. J. geophys. Res. 86, 1858–1872 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Haung Jiqung et al. The Geotectonic Evolution of China (Science, Beijing, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Wang, Hongzhen & Liu Benpei . Historical Geology (Geology, Beijing, 1980).

    Google Scholar 

  29. Li Xingxue & Yao Zhaoqi, in Palaeobiogeographic Provinces of China (ed. Yanhao, L.) 74–84 (Science, Beijing, 1983).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Molnar, P. & Tapponnier, P. Science 189, 419–426 (1975).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Tapponnier, P., Peltzer, G., Le Dain, A. Y., Amijo, R. & Cobbold, P. Geology 10, 611–616 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Barazangi, M. & Dorman, J. Bull. Am. seismol. Soc. 59, 369–80 (1969).

    Google Scholar 

  33. England, P. in Mountain Building Processes (ed. Hsu, K. J.) 129–139 (Academic, London, 1982).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Dewey, J. Sci. Am. 226, 56–68 (1972).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Crowell, J. C. Trans. Geol. Soc. S. Africa (in the press).

  36. Burrett, C. F. Earth planet. Sci. Lett. 21, 181–189 (1974).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  37. Hamilton, W. Bull. geol. Soc. Am. 81, 2553–2576 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Anderson, D. L. Nature 297, 391–393 (1982).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  39. Fisher, R. A. Proc. R. Soc. A217, 295–305 (1953).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Lin, Jl., Fuller, M. & Zhang, Wy. Preliminary Phanerozoic polar wander paths for the North and South China blocks. Nature 313, 444–449 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1038/313444a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/313444a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing