The supercontinent Gondwana was being assembled during the late Proterozic, a time when fundamental changes were taking place in the earth's atmosphere, climate and biosphere. Madagascar, then in the center of Gondwana, is composed of precambrian crust that was metamorphosed and deformed during the assembly of Gondwana. Sedimentary rocks of the Itremo Group of central Madagascar offer the possibility to extract pre-orogenic sedimentation and paleogeography in addition to assembly-related tectonics. This study involves defailed lithogic and structural mapping of the Itremo Group outcrop belt in association with sedimentologic and petrologic analysis, with the aim of constraining provenance, sediment dispersal patterns, environments of deposition and ages of events so that a paleogeographic and tectonic model for central Madagascar can be constructed. Results are expected to provide information on the proterozoic continental shelf environment of Madagascar and will contribute to understanding pre-Gondwana paleogeography and the amalgamation of Gondwana. ***

Agency
National Science Foundation (NSF)
Institute
Division of Earth Sciences (EAR)
Type
Standard Grant (Standard)
Application #
9814945
Program Officer
David Fountain
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
1999-01-01
Budget End
2003-12-31
Support Year
Fiscal Year
1998
Total Cost
$179,800
Indirect Cost
Name
Williams College
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
Williamstown
State
MA
Country
United States
Zip Code
01267