Early Gondwanan connection for the Argentine Precordillera terrane

Stan Finney, James Gleason, George Gehrels, Silvio Peralta, Guillermo Acenolaza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

71 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Precordillera of Argentina is widely accepted as an exotic terrane of Laurentian (North American) affinity. Newly acquired U/Pb ages on individual detrital zircons from Lower Cambrian and Upper Ordovician quartz sandstone beds in the Argentine Precordillera indicate a Gondwanan provenance not associated with any known part of Laurentia. Accordingly, the Precordillera terrane is likely underlain by basement rock of Gondwanan affinity. In addition, detrital zircons from the Upper Ordovician sandstone bed provide no evidence for a Mid Ordovician position against the inboard Famatina arc. These results demand critical re-evaluation of widely held assumptions regarding the paleogeography of the Argentine Precordillera.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)349-359
Number of pages11
JournalEarth and Planetary Science Letters
Volume205
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 10 2003

Keywords

  • Argentina
  • Cambrian
  • Geochronology
  • Ordovician
  • Paleogeography
  • Precordillera

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Geophysics
  • Geochemistry and Petrology
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
  • Space and Planetary Science

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