Introduction to special issue: Laurentian evolution during the late Paleozoic: Interactions and feedbacks between tectonism, sedimentation, and climate

This special issue explores the interplay of tectonism, climate, and sedimentation during late Paleozoic time, an important time interval in North America's geologic history. Contributions approach these issues from continent to basin scales. The authors combine a variety of techniques, including detrital zircon U-Pb analysis, geohistory (subsidence) analysis, sandstone provenance, geochemistry, biostratigraphy, well-log correlation, and paleogeographic reconstruction to explore the influences and relationships among tectonic, climatic, and sedimentary processes. This group of papers not only enhances our understanding of the tectonic development of the Laurentian portion of Laurussia (hereafter called Laurentia) during late Paleozoic time, but also of how paleogeography and climate change (both global and due to the shifting position of Laurentia) drive and control sediment distribution and recycling across the continent. Understanding these systems and their influences is important for deciphering Laurentian history, including the development of on-shore hydrocarbon systems across North America during this critical interval.

Automated summary

This special issue investigates the interactions among tectonism, climate, and sedimentation during the late Paleozoic era, using various techniques to explore their influences and relationships. The findings enhance our understanding of North America's geological history and have significant implications for the development of on-shore hydrocarbon systems.