Gondwanaland dispersion, Asian accretion and evolution of eastern Tethys∗

Abstract

Most east and southeast Asian continental blocks, comprising North and South China, Indochina (including the Qamdo‐Simao Block), Tarim (including the Kunlun and Ala Shan Terranes), Qaidam, Sibumasu, Qiangtang, Lhasa, Kurosegawa, Northwest and Southeast Hainan, West Burma and Woyla Terranes, had their origins on the northern margin of Gondwanaland. Phanerozoic evolution of eastern Gondwanaland and Tethys involved the successive rifting and separation of three continental slivers (now recognised as collages of terranes) from northern Gondwanaland, their northwards drift, and amalgamation/accretion to form east and southeast Asia. These continental slivers separated from the margin of Gondwanaland in the Late Devonian (North China, South China, Indochina, Qaidam, Tarim and Hainan Island Terranes), Early‐mid‐Permian (the Cimmerian continent including the Sibumasu and Qiangtang Terranes), and Late Triassic‐Late Jurassic (Lhasa, West Burma and Woyla Terranes). The northwards drift of these terranes was accompan...