Fennoscandia — A short outline of its geodynamical development

Abstract

Based on the strong heat flow in the Archaean and Proterozoic a concept for dynamical processes is developed that agrees with observation of low and high pressure metamorphism in ensialic belt of the Precambrian in Scandinavia and other old shield areas. Heat release is considered to have taken place predominantly at fast spreading oceanic ridges, some of them certainly adjacent to continental margins. Thinner, warmer, lighter, and faster oceanic plates descended with very small dip below the continent, leading to an underplating, to a decrease of the continental thermal gradient, and to a compressive stress with the tendency to keep the growing Archaean supercontinent together. Ensialic belts may have partly been created by a shallow secondary back-arc creep pattern. The general decrease of heat production and heat release continuously slowed all creep processes. At around 1000 ± 300 Ma, oceanic plates must have reached critical values of thickness, weight, and density to perform a real steep angle subduction, reinforced by sediment loads and phase transition at depth. A well developed plate tectonic pattern with an opening and closing of the lapetus ocean, with subduction, and a subsequent continent-continent collision can be inferred for the forming of the Caledonian-Appalachian mountain range. Even today, dynamical movements at asthenospheric levels below Fennoscandia are still present as indicated by observations of seismic travel time residuals, deep seismic soundings, gravity, compressive stresses, and theoretical calculations of temperature and viscosity.