Chapter 6 Phanerozoic palaeoenvironment and palaeolithofacies maps of the Arctic region

Abstract

Sixty-three maps illustrate geodynamic evolution and development of palaeoenvironments and palaeolithofacies of the Circum-Arctic region during Phanerozoic times. After the break-up of Rodinia and Pannotia in the Early Palaeozoic, the major Arctic plates Baltica, Siberia and Laurentia drifted from their original position around the South Pole towards the Supercontinent Pangea, which existed in the equatorial position during Late Palaeozoic and Early Mesozoic times. During the Mesozoic and Cenozoic plates gathered around newly formed Arctic Ocean. Large continental masses were assembled from major plates and numerous small plates and terranes on the northern hemisphere and around the North Pole. All the continents were by now connected. Carbonates were abundant in Siberia and Laurentia during Palaeozoic times. Clastic sedimentation prevailed during Mesozoic and Cenozoic times. The distribution of lithofacies shows climatic change associated with continental assembly and disassembly as well as with the steady northward drift of the continents.

An overview of the Upper Palaeozoic–Mesozoic stratigraphy of the NE Atlantic region

“…In the context of the entire Pangaean supercontinent, this chart represents a transect from the northern (Boreal) marine margin to the centre of the Pangaean plate, as depicted on recent plate-wide reconstructions (e.g. Doré et al 1999;Pharaoh et al 2010;Golonka 2011;Lawver et al 2011). Reference to the southern (Tethyan) marine margin is also included in the text where necessary.…”

Trochamminaas opportunist foraminifera in the Lower Jurassic from north Siberia

“…2). According to plate tectonic reconstructions, the Kelimyar River district was located several kilometres south-west from the Early Jurassic magnetic North Pole, which was in the delta area of the Lena River (Golonka & Scotese 1995;Golonka et al 2003;Golonka 2007Golonka , 2011Scotese 2011;Torsvik et al 2012;Fig. 2).…”

First record of catacrinid crinoid from the Lower Permian of Spitsbergen

“…During the Pennsylvanian to Late Permian, present−day Spitsbergen drifted from approximately 20°N to 45°N (Stemmerik 2000;Golonka 2011) and the ac− companying climate change resulted in a shift from an arid, evaporative subtropi− cal environment to a colder, temperate environment (Stemmerik 1995(Stemmerik , 2000Stemmerik and Worsley 2005). Detailed petrographical and geochemical investi− gations of several brachiopods belonging to the Late Permian Horridonia and comparisons of specimens from relatively high and low palaeolatitudes were car− ried out to verify seasonal variations in stable carbon and oxygen isotope values for palaeoclimatological implications (Nielsen et al 2013).…”