Global Geoscience Transect 20. Central Appalachians: Cratonic North America to the Atlantic Abyssal Plain

Abstract

The Central Appalachian Geoscience Transect (GGT20) extends from the Atlantic coast across the Appalachian orogen to the Grenvillian structural front in the cratonic interior of North America. The character of the continental crust along the transect results from two Wilson cycles during Proterozoic and Phanerozoic time, comprised of the Grenvillian orogeny, Eocambrian rifting, Paleozoic orogeny, and Mesozoic rifting. The purpose of the transect is to address questions regarding the Paleozoic development of the eastern margin of North America related to: (1) structural development of the middle and lower crust during rifting and orogeny; (2) sources of major potential field anomalies, including the New York–Alabama magnetic lineament; (3) displacement termination of the Appalachian foreland thrust; and (4) thrust displacement transfer from the crystalline terranes into the foreland.