Collision Tectonics Through Paleozoic Era

Six major Paleozoic continents are recognized after Rodinia breakup:

1. Gondwana: Southern continents, India.
Mozambique ocean separated East and West Gondwana
2. Laurentia: North America, Greenland, part Great Britain.
3. Baltica: Northern Europe.
4. Siberia: Most of Northern Asia.
5. Kazakhstania: part Central Asia.
6. China: All of Southeast Asia and Southeast China.
Events of the Paleozoic Era
Tectonics
Ordovician Tectonic orogeny Avalonia collides with Laurentia.
Silurian Caledonian orogeny Laurentia collides with Baltica, forming
Laurasia.
Devonian Acadian orogeny Southern Avalonia collides with
Laurentia.
Mississippian Ouachita orogeny South America collides with Laurasia.
Pennsylvanian Hercynian orogeny - Laurasia collides with Gondwana,
forming the Western half of Pangea.
- Siberia Collides with Kazakhstania,
forming the Altai mountains.
Permian Pangea complete Kazakhstania collides with Baltica,
forming the Ural mountains.

1. Pre-Cambrian:
- The supercontinent Rodinia was formed about 1100 million years ago, and
was located about the South Pole.
2. Cambrian:
- Rodinia broke into smaller continents about 750 million years ago, opening
the Iapetus ocean.
- The continents were flooded by shallow seas.
- Gondwana was formed and was located near the South Pole.
3. Ordovician:
- Gondwana moved to the South Pole location, so glaciers were found (Late
Ordovician tillites).
- Avalonia (Microcontinent and Island Arcs) was collided with Laurentia
(led to Taconic Orogeny), narrowing Iapetus.
- Ordovician is called Ice age, as in which most of Gondwana was covered
with ice.
4. Silurian:
- Laurentia collided with Baltica (led to Caledonian Orogeny), closing the
northern branch of the Iapetus Ocean and forming Laurasia (Old Red
Sandstone continent).
5. Devonian:
- Southern Avalonia collided with Laurentia (led to Acadian Orogeny),
closing the southern branch of the Iapetus Ocean.
- After closing of the ocean, remaining saltwater were vaporized, forming
salt domes.
6. Carboniferous:
a) Early Carboniferous (Mississippian):
- Paleozoic ocean between Euramerica (Laurasia) and Gondwana began to
close, forming the Appalachian and Variscan mountains.
- Gondwana moved toward the north, so an ice cap grew at the South Pole
and forests consist of ferns plants grew at the Equator.
b) Late Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian):
- Laurasia collided with Gondwana (led to Hercynian Orogeny), forming
the Western half of Pangea.
- Siberia Collides with Kazakhstania, forming the Altai mountains.
- Melting of the ice cap at the South Pole, leading to transgression of seas
on the ferns forests at the Equator, forming coal deposits in Europe and
North America.
7. Permian:
- Kazakhstania collided with Baltica, forming the Ural mountains.
- The supercontinent Pangea was formed, and was surrounded by Panthalassa
ocean.