Main sedimentary sequences and stages of major cratonic basins during the breakup of Rodinia

Abstract

This paper summarizes the main sedimentary sequences of major cratonic basins during the breakup of Rodinia and the assembly of Gondwana and extracts evolutionary stages of the Neoproterozoic basins around the Paleo‐Pacific Ocean and Iapetus Ocean tracts. During the breakup of Rodinia, sedimentary sequences and evolutionary stages of the main basins in major cratonic blocks, such as Yangtze, Australia, Eastern American, Western American, and Western Africa cratons, mostly experienced intracratonic rifting, drifting or passive continental margin, carbonate platform construction, and foreland basin stages. The time of rifting to drifting transition in Congo‐São‐Francisco precisely marked the closure of the Adamastor Ocean between Congo‐São‐Francisco and Rio de la Plata and presaged the opening of the Iapetus Ocean. The time of rifting to drifting transition of Eastern American of Laurentia and West Africa initiated at ~580 Ma also signified the opening of the Iapetus Ocean. The time of drifting stage of the main basins around the Paleo‐Pacific Ocean tracts is not only earlier than those of the Iapetus Ocean tracts but also is characterized by diachronism. The time of drifting onset of basins in the Yangtze Block is ~720 Ma, the time of drifting initiation of the Adelaide Fold Belt in South Australia is 680 Ma, and the time of drifting stage of the south‐western margin of Laurentia occurred at 550 Ma. The different times of rifting to drifting transition of the Adelaide Fold Belt in South Australia, the Yangtze Craton, and Western American of Laurentia signified the nonisochronous opening of the Neoproterozoic Paleo‐Pacific Ocean.