Ordovician–Silurian true polar wander as a mechanism for severe glaciation and mass extinction

Xianqing Jing; Zhenyu Yang; Ross N. Mitchell; Yabo Tong; Min Zhu; Bo Wan

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-35609-3

Nature Communications (Dec 2022)

Ordovician–Silurian true polar wander as a mechanism for severe glaciation and mass extinction

Xianqing Jing,
Zhenyu Yang,
Ross N. Mitchell,
Yabo Tong,
Min Zhu,
Bo Wan

Affiliations

Xianqing Jing: College of Resources, Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University
Zhenyu Yang: College of Resources, Environment and Tourism, Capital Normal University
Ross N. Mitchell: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yabo Tong: Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences
Min Zhu: Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bo Wan: State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric Evolution, Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35609-3
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 13, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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Palaeomagnetic data from South China and compiled reliable palaeopoles from 4 other continents reveals a ~50˚ true polar wander (TPW) event occurring 450–440 million years ago. Sweeping Gondwana across the South Pole, this TPW event induced the Ordovician glaciation and mass extinction.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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