Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India

Abstract Knowledge of the original dimension of Greater India in the Jurassic Period is critical for reconstructing the paleogeographic framework of Gondwana. However, two end‐member reconstructions for Greater India (≤1,000 or ≥2,000 km) exist in the Jurassic. Here, we conduct comprehensive petrogr...

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Main Authors: Jie Yuan, Chenglong Deng, Zhenyu Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-07-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117105
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author Jie Yuan
Chenglong Deng
Zhenyu Yang
author_facet Jie Yuan
Chenglong Deng
Zhenyu Yang
author_sort Jie Yuan
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Knowledge of the original dimension of Greater India in the Jurassic Period is critical for reconstructing the paleogeographic framework of Gondwana. However, two end‐member reconstructions for Greater India (≤1,000 or ≥2,000 km) exist in the Jurassic. Here, we conduct comprehensive petrographic, rock magnetic, and paleomagnetic studies on Lower to Middle Jurassic Lure Formation marlstones from the eastern Tethyan Himalaya. The new paleomagnetic data fulfill stringent quality criteria and provide a reliable Early Jurassic paleopole of 16.6°N/308.8°E, A95 = 1.2°, n = 396 (specimens), which constrains the Tethyan Himalaya to a paleolatitude of 31.8° ± 1.2°S at ca. 177.3 Ma. The overlap of this paleolatitude with the expected paleolatitude of India is consistent with a small Greater India (∼900 km) in the Jurassic. The improved estimate of the dimension of Greater India contributes to an updated reconstruction of the paleogeography of Gondwana during the Early Jurassic.
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spelling doaj-art-0297e04b2c8d4638b5e6a9a7033ebe222025-08-20T02:56:24ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-07-015213n/an/a10.1029/2025GL117105Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater IndiaJie Yuan0Chenglong Deng1Zhenyu Yang2State Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Lithospheric and Environmental Coevolution Institute of Geology and Geophysics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing ChinaCollege of Resources Environment and Tourism Capital Normal University Beijing ChinaAbstract Knowledge of the original dimension of Greater India in the Jurassic Period is critical for reconstructing the paleogeographic framework of Gondwana. However, two end‐member reconstructions for Greater India (≤1,000 or ≥2,000 km) exist in the Jurassic. Here, we conduct comprehensive petrographic, rock magnetic, and paleomagnetic studies on Lower to Middle Jurassic Lure Formation marlstones from the eastern Tethyan Himalaya. The new paleomagnetic data fulfill stringent quality criteria and provide a reliable Early Jurassic paleopole of 16.6°N/308.8°E, A95 = 1.2°, n = 396 (specimens), which constrains the Tethyan Himalaya to a paleolatitude of 31.8° ± 1.2°S at ca. 177.3 Ma. The overlap of this paleolatitude with the expected paleolatitude of India is consistent with a small Greater India (∼900 km) in the Jurassic. The improved estimate of the dimension of Greater India contributes to an updated reconstruction of the paleogeography of Gondwana during the Early Jurassic.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117105
spellingShingle Jie Yuan
Chenglong Deng
Zhenyu Yang
Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
Geophysical Research Letters
title Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
title_full Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
title_fullStr Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
title_full_unstemmed Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
title_short Jurassic Paleomagnetic Data From the Eastern Tethyan Himalaya Support a Smaller Greater India
title_sort jurassic paleomagnetic data from the eastern tethyan himalaya support a smaller greater india
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL117105
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