WAS BALTICA RIGHT-WAY-UP OR UPSIDE-DOWN IN THE NEOPROTEROZOIC?

Abstract

Baltica is a progeny of Rodinia, born from the breakup of the supercontinent in the Neoproterozoic. Within Rodinia, Baltica is generally placed adjacent to NE Laurentia but in a variety of configurations, which vary by up to 3000 km along the strike of the Laurentian margin and include both right-way-up and upside-down orientations (current coordinates). Geological and palaeomagnetic data show that the only viable reconstruction juxtaposes the western Scandinavian margin of Baltica, in its right-way-up orientation, against the Rockall-Scotland-SE Greenland segment of Laurentia.