Record of rapid apparent polar wander in East Asia and its significance

Principal Investigator: Dr. Yi Zhiyu

Period：2017-2020

Project Description:

A significant shift in plate reconstructions is apparent from different versions of the global Apparent Polar Wander Paths (APWPs) during Jurassic time and is interpreted as the result of True Polar Wander (TPW). The reconstruction of this event is of global importance when reconstructing past climatic and tectonic changes. The timing, magnitude and dynamics of this interval, as well as its environmental significance are still poorly known. For the existed TPW models predict the largest latitudinal displacement in East Asia, in this study, two consecutive profiles with Middle Jurassic-Early Cretaceous in ages, are hence to be selected from the North China and Junggar blocks, for a combined geochronologic and paleomagnetic study. On the basis of the available paleomagnetic data from surrounding area, the refined APWPs for the two blocks are to be constructed. By comparison with the global and regional APWPs, the available models for the Jurassic TPW event are to be tested along with the dynamics of the closure of the Okhotsk Ocean between these areas and Siberia. On the basis of the reconstructed paleopositions for East Asia blocks, the role of plate shift on environmental change and resources formation are to be discussed.