The Midcontinent rift in the Lake Superior region with emphasis on its geodynamic evolution

W.F. Cannon

doi:10.1016/0040-1951(92)90250-a

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The Midcontinent rift in the Lake Superior region with emphasis on its geodynamic evolution

W.F. Cannon

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Abstract

The Midcontinent rift is a Middle Proterozoic continental rift which records about 15 m.y. of extension, subsidence, and voluminous volcanism in the period 1109–1094 Ma in the central part of North America. During that time the crust was nearly totally separated and as much as 25 km of subaerial basalts accumulated in a deep central depression. Following extension and volcanism, a longer period of subsidence resulted in development of a post-rift sedimentary basin in which as much a 8 km of fluvial and lacustrine clastic rocks were deposited. Partial inversion of the central depression occurred about 30–50 m.y. after extension to produce the current configuration of a central horst, composed mostly of thick volcanic accumulations, between shallower flanking basins.

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Tectonophysics Article

Source-reported bounding extent: 46.40634377363952° to 49.15245965733078° latitude; -92.18163302599311° to -84.14596128670087° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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BibTeX RIS

W.F. Cannon. 1992. The Midcontinent rift in the Lake Superior region with emphasis on its geodynamic evolution. https://doi.org/10.1016/0040-1951(92)90250-a

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