Rapid onset of late Paleozoic glaciation on Gondwana: Evidence from Upper Mississippian strata of the Midcontinent, United States

Research Article| March 01, 2000 Rapid onset of late Paleozoic glaciation on Gondwana: Evidence from Upper Mississippian strata of the Midcontinent, United States Langhorne B. Smith, Jr; Langhorne B. Smith, Jr 1Comparative Sedimentology Laboratory, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar J. Fred Read J. Fred Read 2Department of Geological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2000) 28 (3): 279–282. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<279:ROOLPG>2.0.CO;2 Article history received: 18 Aug 1999 rev-recd: 06 Dec 1999 accepted: 20 Dec 1999 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Langhorne B. Smith, J. Fred Read; Rapid onset of late Paleozoic glaciation on Gondwana: Evidence from Upper Mississippian strata of the Midcontinent, United States. Geology 2000;; 28 (3): 279–282. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)28<279:ROOLPG>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Direct evidence of the late Paleozoic glaciation of Gondwana from glacial deposits suggests that geographically extensive continental glaciation began some time in the Namurian (Late Mississippian). However, the timing and characteristics of the onset of glaciation are poorly understood because of a lack of reliable paleontological control and reworking of initial glacial deposits by subsequent glacial advances. Indirect evidence of glaciation preserved in unconformity-bounded, low-latitude ramp sequences in the Illinois basin, United States, suggests that geographically extensive continental glaciation of Gondwana actually began in the late Visean. An abrupt change from carbonate-dominated sequences bounded by disconformities with little evidence of erosion to mixed carbonate-siliciclastic sequences bounded by unconformities with deep incised valleys was likely produced by a three-fold increase in the magnitude of eustatic sea-level fluctuations. The increase in the magnitude of sea-level fluctuations was likely driven by an equally abrupt increase in ice volume and marks the onset of the geographically extensive late Paleozoic glaciation of Gondwana. A possible explanation for the rapid onset of glaciation is the closing of the equatorial seaway between Laurussia and Gondwana. Closing of this seaway would have led to an abrupt change in oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns that could have initiated major continental glaciation in the Southern Hemisphere. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.