Abstract
IF reconstructions of plate tectonic movement based on magnetic anomaly data are found to be inconsistent with reconstructions based on palaeomagnetic data (see refs 1–3) it may indicate that one or more of the basic assumptions of the plate tectonic model is erroneous; the age or identification of a particular anomaly may be incorrect, the pole positions or sample ages may be unreliable, or there may be an error in assessing plate rigidity. We present an example of inconsistency between the two types of data and explore its implications for the chronology of magnetic reversals during the late Cretaceous and early Tertiary and for the age of the Deccan Traps.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Francheteau, J., thesis, Univ. California, San Diego (1970).
Philips, J. D., and Forsyth, D., Bull. geol. Soc. Am., 83, 1579 (1972).
Sclater, J. G., and Fisher, R. L., Bull. geol. Soc. Am., 85, 683 (1974).
Molnar, P., and Francheteau, J., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc. (in the press).
Heirtzler, J. R., Dickson, G. O., Herron, E. M., Pitman, W. C., and Le Pichon, X., J. geophys. Res., 73, 2119 (1968).
McElhinny, M. W., Paleomagnetism and Plate Tectonics (Cambridge University Press, London, 1973).
Verma, R. K., in Seminar on Geodynamics of the Himalayan Region, Natn. geophys. Res. Inst. (Hyderabad India), 49 (1973).
Rama, S. N. I., 22nd Int. geol. Congr. (New Delhi, 1964), VII, 139 (1968).
Wellman, P., and McElhinny, M. W., Nature, 227, 595 (1970).
Kaneoko, I., and Haramura, H., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 18, 229 (1973).
Sclater, J. G., Jarrard, R. D., and Gartner, S., in Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, XXII, 381 (US Government Printing Office, Washington DC, 1974).
McElhinny, M. W., Nature, 217, 342 (1968).
McKenzie, D., and Sclater, J. G., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 25, 437 (1971).
Tarling, D. H., and Gale, N. H., Nature, 218, 1043 (1968).
Tarling, D. H., in Paleogeophysics, 193–208 (Academic, London, 1970).
Moorbath, S., and Bell, J. D., J. Petrology, 6, 37 (1965).
Khan, M. A., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 3, 45 (1960).
Miller, J. A., and Brown, P. E., Geol. Mag., 102, 106 (1965).
Green, J., and Wright, J. B., Geol. Mag., 111, 163 (1974).
Mitchell, J. G., and Keen, K. P., Geol. Mag., 110, 331 (1973).
Bruckshaw, J. M., and Vincent, S. A., Mon. Not. R. astr. Soc. geophys. Suppl., 6, 579 (1954).
Vincent, S. A., ibid., 6, 590 (1954).
Miller, J. A., and Harland, W. B., Mineralog. Mag., 33, 521 (1963).
Leng, J. H., thesis, Univ. London (1955).
Purdy, J. W., Mussett, A. E., Charlston, S. R., Eckford, M. J., and English, H. N., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 27, 327 (1972).
Irving, E., Paleomagnetism and its Application to Geological and Geophysical Problems (Wiley, New York, 1964).
Miller, J. A., and Fitch, F. J., Nature, 195, 553 (1962).
Dodson, M. A., and Long, L. E., Nature, 195, 875 (1962).
Blundell, D. J., Geol. Mag., 94, 187 (1957).
Raja, P. K. S., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 9, 15 (1964).
Smith, P. J., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 1, 341 (1966).
Dagley, P., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 6, 349 (1969).
Miller, J. A., and Mohr, P. A., Scott. J. Geol., 1, 93 (1965).
Wilson, R. L., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 20, 1 (1970).
Athavale, R. N., J. geophys. Res., 75, 4000 (1970).
Verma, R. K., and Mital, G. S., Phys. Earth planet. Interiors, 8, 63 (1974).
Athavale, R. N., and Anjaneyulu, G. R., Tectonophysics, 14, 87 (1974).
Wensink, H., Tectonophysics, 17, 41 (1973).
Verma, R. K., and Mital, G. S., Geophys. J. R. astr. Soc., 29, 275 (1972).
Pal, P. C., Bindu Madhar, U., and Bhimasankaram, V. L. S., Nature phys. Sci., 230, 133 (1971).
Pal, P. C., and Bhimasankaram, V. L. S., Earth planet. Sci. Lett., 11, 109 (1971).
Bott, M. H. P., in Implication of Continental Drift to the Earth Sciences (edit. by Runcorn, S. K., and Tarling, D. H.), 175–190 (Academic, London, 1973).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
MOLNAR, P., FRANCHETEAU, J. Plate tectonic and palaeomagnetic implications for the age of the Deccan Traps and the magnetic anomaly time scale. Nature 255, 128–130 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1038/255128a0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/255128a0
This article is cited by
-
Mid-tertiary igneous activity in east Greenland — The Kialineq complex
Contributions to Mineralogy and Petrology (1977)
-
The drift of the Indian subcontinent; an interpretation of recent palaeomagnetic data
Geologische Rundschau (1976)
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.