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Geological Society, London, Special Publications; 1988; v. 38; p. 381-388;
DOI: 10.1144/GSL.SP.1988.038.01.22
© 1988 Geological Society of London

Arenig-Wenlock Activity in the Caledonian-Appalachian Orogen

A brief review of early Ordovician to Devonian plutonism in the N American Caledonides

David R. Wones & A. K. Sinha*

Department of Geological Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA

The distribution of mafic and felsic plutonic rocks has been used to constrain tectonic and thermal events in portions of the N American Caledonides. In the central and southern Appalachians studies of plutonic rocks identify an early island-arc environment followed by an episode of melting during over-thrusting. Devonian plutonism can be associated with both decompressional melting and rifting. The northern Appalachians also show evidence of early island-arc activity followed by collision of the N American plate with a collection of oceanic arcs and continental fragments. Devonian plutons reflect a more static environment (rift?) where incremental melting of a protolith provides the observed variations in the composition of the magmas.


* The second author revised the manuscript after the tragic death of David Wones. Newer models for the tectonic evolution for the central and southern Appalachians are by Sinha. All other conclusions and suggestions are credited to Wones.