Research Article| February 01, 1987 Paleomagnetism of Upper Devonian reefal limestones, Canning basin, Western Australia N. F. HURLEY; N. F. HURLEY 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar R. VAN DER VOO R. VAN DER VOO 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information N. F. HURLEY 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 R. VAN DER VOO 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1987) 98 (2): 138–146. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)98<138:POUDRL>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation N. F. HURLEY, R. VAN DER VOO; Paleomagnetism of Upper Devonian reefal limestones, Canning basin, Western Australia. GSA Bulletin 1987;; 98 (2): 138–146. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1987)98<138:POUDRL>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Two conflicting models have been proposed for the middle Paleozoic position of Gondwana with respect to Euramerica. A pole from Morocco (Msissi Norite) that may be of Late Devonian age suggests that a broad ocean (∼3,000 km) separated the northern continents from Gondwana, whereas results from Mauritania (Gneiguira Supergroup) indicate that this ocean had closed by Devonian time. Detailed thermal and alternating-field demagnetization experiments have been carried out on red and gray limestones from seven sites (89 samples) in an essentially undeformed Late Devonian reef complex, northern Canning basin, Western Australia. After minor tilt correction, the site mean characteristic directions average 42.7°/−28.9° (declination/inclination) with k = 61.6 and α95 = 7.8°. These results position northwestern Australia at 15°S latitude in the Late Devonian, a paleolatitude consistent with the presence of a well-developed reefal sequence. An early age is inferred for these magnetizations on the basis of the occurrence of mixed polarities and the fact that no post-Devonian directions for Australia resemble the observed declinations and inclinations. If the Smith and Hallam reconstruction for Gondwana is used, the paleomagnetic pole calculated for the Late Devonian of Western Australia agrees with the Msissi Norite result from Morocco and suggests that an ocean still separated Gondwana from Euramerica in the Late Devonian. The pole measured from the Gneiguira Supergroup in Mauritania may be based on remagnetizations of late Paleozoic age.The directions determined from Canning basin limestones are similar in inclination to but differ by 40° in declination from paleomagnetic results from the Upper Devonian Comerong Volcanics, Lachlan fold belt, southeastern Australia. Canning basin samples are from the stable craton, and Comerong Volcanics samples are from the Tasman fold belt. The discrepancy between the two Australian results may be best explained by tectonic rotation of the Comerong Volcanics locality. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.