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Tectonic Evolution of Paleotethys in the Caucasus Sector of the Mediterranean Belt: Basic Problems

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Tectonic Evolution of the Tethyan Region

Part of the book series: NATO ASI Series ((ASIC,volume 259))

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Abstract

All mobilistic reconstructions indicate the oceanic Paleotethys, but the time of its opening and closing, size, time of existence, position between other paleotectonic elements are considered differently. Prejurassic ophiolite assemblages are known in the area of the Greater Caucasus and Dzirula salient of the Transcaucasus. The available data on occurrence of pre-Alpine ophiolites to the south of the Sevan-Akera and Vedi zones are not convincing. But at the same time they show considerable effect of Hercynian tectono-magmatic processes on the northern margin of Gondwana-Land. Application of paleobiogeographical method for the Caucasus encounter a number of obstacles. Paleomagnetic data on the whole confirm the mobilistic reconstructions, but they are still few. The paper critically considers the available paleoreconstructions, reveals the asymmetric structure of the Mediterranean belt and Paleotethys ocean. Northern part of the Caucasus was its active margin: in the Middle Paleozoic — of West Pacific type and in the Upper Paleozoic — of West Pacific type, and in the Upper Paleozoic — of Andean type, while the southern part of the Caucasus was its passive margin. At the end of Paleozoic — beginning of the Mesozoic this part was separated from Gondwana-Land and transformed into a microcontinent with formation of the Neotethys in its back part. The final closing of the Paleotethys on the Caucasus occurred before the Lias, its suture passes along the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus.

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  1. Geological Institute of the USSR Academy of Sciences, Pyzhevsky per., 7, 109017, Moscow, USRR

    A. A. Belov

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  1. Department of Geology, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey

    A. M. C. Şengör

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© 1989 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Belov, A.A. (1989). Tectonic Evolution of Paleotethys in the Caucasus Sector of the Mediterranean Belt: Basic Problems. In: Şengör, A.M.C. (eds) Tectonic Evolution of the Tethyan Region. NATO ASI Series, vol 259. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2253-2_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-009-2253-2_11

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