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UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations UC Riverside UC Riverside Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title Integrated Geochronologic, Geochemical, and Sedimentological Investigation of Proterozoic- Early Paleozoic Strata: From Northern India to Global Perspectives Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/86m796cn Author McKenzie, Neil Ryan Publication Date 2012 Supplemental Material https://escholarship.org/uc/item/86m796cn#supplemental Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA RIVERSIDE Integrated Geochronologic, Geochemical, and Sedimentological Investigation of Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic Strata: From Northern India to Global Perspectives. A Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Geological Sciences by Neil Ryan McKenzie December 2012 Dissertation Committee: Dr. Nigel C. Hughes, Chairperson Dr. Peter M. Sadler Dr. Timothy W. Lyons Copyright by Neil Ryan McKenzie 2012 The Dissertation of Neil Ryan McKenzie is approved: ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ ________________________________________________ Committee Chairperson University of California, Riverside ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION Integrated Geochronologic, Geochemical, and Sedimentological Investigation of Proterozoic-Early Paleozoic Strata: From Northern India to Global Perspectives by Neil Ryan McKenzie Doctor of Philosophy, Graduate Program in Geological Sciences University of California, Riverside, December 2012 Dr. Nigel C. Hughes, Chairperson Research presented here focuses on the tectonic–sedimentary evolution of the north Indian margin and explores the influence of plate tectonics on climate change and metazoan biodiversification during a critical interval of Earth history. The first part of the dissertation focuses on the Himalaya, Vindhyan, and Aravalli sectors of northern India. This project establishes new age constraints for poorly dated Proterozoic sedimentary successions, explores the relationship of these successions across northern India, and tests predeformational models for the Himalayan margin through an integrative study that utilizes aspects of sedimentology, detrital zircon geochronology, sedimentary geochemistry, and paleontology. The second focus of the dissertation uses a global compilation of detrital zircon age data to demonstrate an intrinsic link between spatial and temporal variation in continental arc volcanism – a key source of atmospheric CO2 – with climate change and metazoan evolution across the Neoproterozoic-Early Paleozoic transition. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................1 References ......................................................................................................................6 CHAPTER 1 CORRELATION OF PRECAMBRIAN–CAMBRIAN SEDIMENTARY SUCCESSIONS ACROSS NORTHERN INDIA AND THE UTILITY OF ISOTOPIC SIGNATURES OF HIMALAYAN LITHOTECTONIC ZONES..........10 Abstract ........................................................................................................................10 Introduction .................................................................................................................11 Regional geology and background.............................................................................13 Himalayan margin..................................................................................................15 Indo-Gangetic basin................................................................................................17 Aravalli Successions................................................................................................18 Vindhyan supergroup ..............................................................................................19 Methods ........................................................................................................................22 Results and discussion.................................................................................................23 Phosphatic stromatolites of the iLH and Indian craton.........................................23 Detrital zircon geochronology...............................................................................24 Neodymium geochemistry of the iLH and oLH......................................................30 Correlation, chronostratigraphy, and continuity of cratonic and Himalayan successions....................................................................................................................31 v Conclusions ..................................................................................................................36 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................38 References ....................................................................................................................38 Figures ..........................................................................................................................47 Supporting Materials ..................................................................................................57 CHAPTER 2 NEW DETRITAL ZIRCON AGE CONSTRAINTS ON THE PROTEROZOIC ARAVALLI–DELHI SUCCESSIONS OF CENTRAL INDIA AND THEIR IMPLICATIONS .............................................................................................................64 Abstract ........................................................................................................................64 Introduction .................................................................................................................65 Regional geology and background.............................................................................66 New age constraints, controversies, and correlation for strata of the ADOB .......68 Conclusions ..................................................................................................................73 Acknowledgements......................................................................................................74 References ....................................................................................................................75 Figures ..........................................................................................................................78 Supporting Materials ..................................................................................................83 vi CHAPTER 3 TECTONIC CONTROLS ON NEOPROTEROZOIC-EARLY PALEOZOIC CLIMATE AND METAZOAN BIODIVERSITY........................................................88 Abstract ........................................................................................................................88 Introduction .................................................................................................................89 Utility of detrital zircon geochronology in paleotectonic studies............................92 Neoproterozoic tectonics and the Cryogenian ‘icehouse’........................................93 Early Paleozoic tectonism, climate, and metazoan biodiversity: lessons from a Cenozoic analog ...........................................................................................................95 Acknowledgements....................................................................................................100 References ..................................................................................................................101 Figures ........................................................................................................................106 Supporting Materials ................................................................................................114 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1......................................................................................................................50 Figure 1.2......................................................................................................................51 Figure 1.3......................................................................................................................52 Figure 1.4......................................................................................................................53 Figure 2.1......................................................................................................................80 Figure 2.2......................................................................................................................81 Figure 2.3......................................................................................................................82 Figure 2.4......................................................................................................................83 Figure SM2.1................................................................................................................87 Figure 3.1....................................................................................................................109 Figure 3.2....................................................................................................................110 Figure 3.3....................................................................................................................111
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