9418538 Tucker Although the Mesozoic and Cenozoic breakup of Gondwana is well understood, the late precambrian assembly of the supercontinent is not well developed. This project involves extensive age determination on the crystalline bedrock of Madagascar which will help constrain the configuration and age of the apparent cratonic blocks within gondwana and the timing of fusion between east and west gondwana. The work will be done in conjunction with an ongoing project within several South African Universities. Results should impact the temporal evolution of this part of the Mozambique orogenic belt and improve the understanding of Madagascar's geologic setting within the larger framework of the gondwana supercontinent.
