1:45 PM - 3:15 PM
[SCG52-P09] An Estimation of Past Shape of Continents using GNSS data.
Keywords:Past shape of continent, GNSS data
Many studies(Gordon,1993, DeMets et al.,2010) suggest that GNSS velocities are in harmony with plate velocities that determined by the geological evidences such as ocianic plate ages and directions of the fracture zones. But intra-plate deformations determined by the GNSS data are not yet compared with past shapes of continents suggested by the paleomagnetic data.
In this study, we used the global GNSS data analysed by the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory ("Nevada" for short) and interpolated each velocity vectors and estimated the past shapes of continents of the South America, Australia and Antarctica. The 60Ma shape of the South America continent is in harmony with the presumed shape of the South America continent by the paleomagnetic analyses(Kono et al.,1985, Randall et al.,1996). We also calculated 50Ma shapes of continents of the Australia and the Antarctica using fixed end points of the fracture zones between the two continents. The southern part of the Australia continent is supposed to be fit with the shape of the northern part of the Antarctica continent at around 50Ma, and much better fit is obtained with the past shapes of this analysis than using the current shapes of the two continents. It is concluded that GNSS data can be compared with more than 50 million years intra-plate deformations.
In this study, we used the global GNSS data analysed by the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory ("Nevada" for short) and interpolated each velocity vectors and estimated the past shapes of continents of the South America, Australia and Antarctica. The 60Ma shape of the South America continent is in harmony with the presumed shape of the South America continent by the paleomagnetic analyses(Kono et al.,1985, Randall et al.,1996). We also calculated 50Ma shapes of continents of the Australia and the Antarctica using fixed end points of the fracture zones between the two continents. The southern part of the Australia continent is supposed to be fit with the shape of the northern part of the Antarctica continent at around 50Ma, and much better fit is obtained with the past shapes of this analysis than using the current shapes of the two continents. It is concluded that GNSS data can be compared with more than 50 million years intra-plate deformations.