an outline of geological history and tectonic · pdf filean outline of geological history and...

Australia:an outline of geological history

and tectonic evolution

C – Hillis & Muller 2003

Lecture outline:Lecture outline:• Australia: general aspects

• Formation of continental cores and the Australian craton (Precambrian history)

• Formation of the Tasmanides (Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic history)

• Break-up of east Gondwanaland and the formation of modern Australia (Late Mesozoic-Cainozoic history)

• Summary



• Formation of the Tasmanides(Palaeozoic-Early Mesozoic history)


Australia:a continent

in the down-under

Western Western AustralianAustralian

MassifMassif

The

Gre

at D

ivid

ing

Ran

geT

he G

reat

Div

idin

g R

ange

The Kimberly The Kimberly (N Aust) Massif(N Aust) Massif

Central Central Australian Australian

MassifMassif

The AustralianThe AustralianLandscape:Landscape:

Mount Mount Kosciusko Kosciusko (2230 m)(2230 m)

The Great The Great Artesian BasinArtesian Basin

Climatic zonation of Australia: Climatic zonation of Australia:

Annual rainfall

Variability of Annual rainfall

Adams et al. 2003

Climate zones:

Arid

Semi-Arid

Semi-arid

Tem

pera

te

Tropical

Temperate

A mosaic of Australian landscape:A mosaic of Australian landscape:

Australian biota:Australian biota:

AustralianAustralian’’s global s global and regional and regional

geological settinggeological setting

VeeversVeevers, 2001, 2001

Australia’s regional presentAustralia’s regional present--day tectonic setting: day tectonic setting:

Tectonic environmentTectonic environment of Australia:of Australia:

Tas

man

sea

Tas

man

sea

Southern OceanSouthern Ocean

Indi

an O

cean

Indi

an O

cean

Southern PacificSouthern Pacific

PacificPacific

(Hill & Hall. 2003)

Australasian & SW Pacific tectonic environment

(Hall & Spakman 2003)

East Australia –New Zealand region

(Crawford et al. 2003)

Agedistribution of oceanic crust around Australian continent

(Brown et al. 2003)

Earthquake Earthquake distribution in distribution in

& around & around Australia Australia

(1841(1841--2000):2000):

(Johnson 2004)

Geophysical evidence for Australia’s northward

drift:

Geological map of Australia

(Milligan et al. 2003)

(O’Neill et al. 2003)

OldestOldestYoungestYoungest

OlderOlder

Chronology of the Australian crust:

The Australian crust:The Australian crust:

Australia’s mega-

tectonic blocks

(Milligan et al. 2003)

Gravity map of Australia (Brown et al. 2003)

Hierarchical classification of the key Hierarchical classification of the key Australian crustal elements: Australian crustal elements:

I. 1st order:I. 1st order: II. 2nd order:II. 2nd order: III. 3rd order:III. 3rd order:I. Tasman CrustalI. Tasman Crustal

Province Province (previously Known as Tasman Fold Belt or Tasman Geosyncline)

II. West Australian II. West Australian CratonicCratonic provinceprovince(Australian Craton)

1.1. LachalanLachalan Fold Belt;Fold Belt;2.2. Thompson Fold Belt;Thompson Fold Belt;3.3. New England Fold Belt;New England Fold Belt;4.4. BowenBowen--Sydney BasinsSydney Basins

1.1. Western AustralianWestern Australianorogenicorogenic province;province;

2. 2. NortherNorther AustralianAustralianorogenicorogenic province;province;

3. Central Australian3. Central Australianorogenicorogenic province;province;

Platform coversrepresented by stablesedimentary basins of various ages (eg., Eromanga, Carpetaria,Murray etc)Platform coversrepresented by stablesedimentary basins of various ages (eg., Amadeus Basin, officer Basin, McArthur etc)

First order Australian crustal units:First order Australian crustal units:The The TasmanTasman LineLine

2nd-order Australian crustal units: the Australian Craton

The Tasman Line A

ustr

alia

n

Aus

tral

ian

Cra

ton

Cra

ton

Tas

man

Fol

d B

elt

Tas

man

Fol

d B

elt

The Tasmanides (Fold Belt or Orogenic Province):

3rd-order Australian crustal units: Basins of the

Australian Craton

3rd-order crustal units within the Tasmanides: The Lachlan Fold Belt The Lachlan Fold Belt in Victoria:in Victoria:

Main outcrops of Precambrian rocks and main Precambrian tectonic units

Distribution of Precambrian blocks Main Precambrian tectonic units:

(Johnson 2004)

Main types of Australian Archaean and Proteorozoic rocks:

• Greenstones• Banded iron formations• Stromatolites

Banded Iron Formations (BIF): Banded Iron Formations (BIF):

ChertChert

Iron bandsIron bands

Modern and ancientModern and ancientStromatolitesStromatolites::

Modern stromatolites (Western Australia)

Proterozoic Proterozoic stromatolitesstromatolites

Australia:2500Australia:2500--560 560 myamya

Process of cratonisation:

25002500--1950 1950 19501950--1830 1830

18301830--1700 1700 17001700--1600 1600

16001600--1300 1300 13001300--10001000

10001000--750 750 750750--540 540

Australia in Australia in RoadiniaRoadinia ––1000 1000 myamya::

Hoffman1991

Li and Powell 2001

Australia in Australia in GondwanaGondwana--

landland760 760 myamya::

Adelaide Trough

(Sandiford 2003)

The Flinders The Flinders RangeRange

Tectonic evolution Tectonic evolution of the Adelaide Fold Beltof the Adelaide Fold Belt

Adelaide Fold Belt

The The SturtSturtGlaciationGlaciation

The first known major glaciation in Australia

(ca. 700 mya)

Limit of glacial deposits according to Johnson 2004

Australia and Australia and neighbors during neighbors during

the the PetermannPetermannRanges orogeny Ranges orogeny (560 (560 myamya)): final : final amalgamation of amalgamation of

the Australian the Australian cratoncraton 610 610 myamya

650 650 myamya

Interglacial shale

Cambrianpalaeogeography

of Australia:

SE Australia during the Cambrian (ca. 500 mya):

Ord & Daly River basins Georgina

Basin

Amadeus Basin

Adelaide FB

Land Shallow sea

Deep ocean

Volcanic islands

The DelameranOrogeny:

Ord & Daly River basins Georgina

Basin

Amadeus Basin

Adelaide FB

The plate/accretion tectonics ModelThe plate/accretion tectonics Model

Deep ocean

Australian Ordovician:Australian Ordovician:

SE Australia:

The The BenambranBenambranOrogeny:Orogeny:

Silurian to Early Devonian Silurian to Early Devonian palaeogeographypalaeogeographyand plate tectonic setting of Australiaand plate tectonic setting of AustraliaLate SilurianLate Silurian Early DevonianEarly Devonian

Deep ocean

Land

Shallow sea

Land

Cape Cape LiptrapLiptrap

TabberaberranTabberaberran Orogeny Orogeny (Middle Devonian):(Middle Devonian):

Late DevonianLate Devonian--Early CarboniferousEarly Carboniferouspalaeogeography of Australiapalaeogeography of Australia

Late Devonian Early Carboniferous

Foreland Basins

Magmatic arc

Subductionzone

The The KanimblanKanimblanorogeny:orogeny:

The Foreland Basin model:

Permian Permian glaciation:glaciation:

The midThe mid--Carboniferous Carboniferous

Lacuna: Lacuna: the onset of the the onset of the

Great Great Gondwana Gondwana glaciationglaciation

The BowenThe Bowen--Sydney Sydney Basin system Basin system ––

a classic foreland a classic foreland basins structurebasins structure

The Foreland Basin model:

Bowen-Sydney basinNew England Fold Belt

Tectonic evolution of the Tasman Fold Belt:

Completion of the Aust continent formation at the end of the Hunter-Bowen Orogeny

Tasman Fold Belt

Australia Australia 175 million 175 million years ago years ago

(mid (mid Jurassic)Jurassic)

Interglacial shale


(Early Cretaceous)(Early Cretaceous)

Note that NZ, India and Antarctic are still connected to Australia, although rifting and sea-floor spreading was developing between Australia and India.


(mid(mid--Cretaceous Cretaceous ––InnaminckaInnamincka--

PotorooPotorooInterrugnumInterrugnum))

Note the abandoned the sea-spreading ridge in the Indian Ocean, and initial rifting between East Aust and NZ-Lord Howe Rise Land.

Australia Australia 45 million 45 million years ago years ago (Middle Eocene)(Middle Eocene)

Note active sea-floor spreading around the western, eastern and southern Australian coasts.

PresentPresent--day day Australia:Australia:

The Opening and closure The Opening and closure of the Tasman Sea and of the Tasman Sea and

Coral SeaCoral Sea

57 mya

82 mya

Present time

The Opening of The Opening of the Indian the Indian

Ocean and the Ocean and the drift of India drift of India away from away from

Australia and Australia and AntarcticAntarcticaa::

(Gaina et al. 2003)

The opening of The opening of the Southern the Southern

Ocean and the Ocean and the drift of drift of

AntarcticaAntarctica

The Great Southern Coast:witness of the opening of the

southern ocean

Tasmania

SE AustraliaAntarctica

Mantleanomaly

The northward drift of

Australia and collision with

PNG:

(Hall & Spakman 2003)

Australia Recent volcanism documenting northward flight

Australia’s 3.8 billion year geological history:

A summary

Megatectonic stage II:(Latest Precambrian-

Early Mesozoic)Accretion of

Tasmanides to the Australian Craton

Megatectonic stage I (Archaean to Proterozoic):

Formation of the Australian craton

OldestOldest

Youngest

OlderOlder

Megatectonic stage III (Late Mesozoic to Present):

Gonwana break-up & formation of Australia

PalaeogeographicPalaeogeographic evolution evolution of Australia:of Australia:

840mya

700mya

600mya

530mya

490mya

450mya

390mya

300mya

155mya

112mya

85mya

35mya

20mya

0 mya

Australia and India in motion: Australia and India in motion: the last 80 million yearsthe last 80 million years

Incr

ease

of

arid

ity

Nort

hwar

d dr

ift

Deakin UniversityAustralia's most progressive university

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