The Late Palaeozoic of Western Gondwana: New insights from South American records

• Autores: Spalletti, Luis Antonio; Limarino, Carlos Oscar; Geuna, S.
• Año de publicación: 2010
• Idioma: inglés
• Tipo de recurso: artículo
• Materia: Geología; Late Palaeozoic basins; Western Gondwana geology
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de La Plata

Late Palaeozoic basins of southern South America offer an excellent opportunity to study sequences deposited in contrasting tectonic regimes, shifting climatic conditions and different sea level positions. From the tectonic point of view, these Late Palaeozoic basins developed in three scenarios (Limarino and Spalletti, 2006): arc-related or Proto-Pacific basins, retroarc or peripheral basins, and large intracratonic or intraplate basins. Arc-related or Proto-Pacific basins formed along the westernmost and highly mobile area of Gondwana, in which volcanism played a fundamental role. In turn, retroarc or peripheral basins which are characterized by a thick fossiliferous Late Mississippian up to Late Permian record, registered less magmatic activity and minor deformation. Finally, large intracratonic or intraplate basins developed under more stable tectonic regimes and their sedimentary record was mainly controlled by significant climatic and eustatic oscillations (e.g. Paraná Basin). The effects of dramatic climatic changes and/or eustatic oscillations on Late Palaeozoic basins have been widely studied. Alternating glacial and interglacial periods as well as processes of progressive aridification towards the Middle and Late Permian times have been recognized. Moreover, a complete record of sea level changes was defined in the intracratonic basins from the Pennsylvanian to the Latest Permian. Despite the importance of the aforementioned issues, the stratigraphic and sedimentological information obtained from South American basins has been frequently overlooked in regional or global-scale studies. Although this may be attributed to the lack of knowledge about the Carboniferous and Permian Systems in southern South America, there is abundant literature on the sedimentary and palaeontological record of these basins. This is clearly documented in specific papers and in comprehensive compilations, such as those of Bigarella et al. (1966), Archangelsky (1987, 1996), and Veroslavsky et al. (2006), among others.
Centro de Investigaciones Geológicas