Paleomagnetism of the Archean rocks of the Gavião block

• Grant number: 19/24450-1
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2020
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geophysics
• Principal researcher: Ricardo Ivan Ferreira da Trindade
• Grantee: Caio Augusto Deiroz Amaral
• Home Institution: Instituto de Astronomia, Geofísica e Ciências Atmosféricas (IAG). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/06114-6 - The Neoproterozoic Earth System and the rise of biological complexity, AP.TEM

Abstract

The onset of plate tectonics and the geomagnetic field likely occurred in the Archean. These two aspects of the early Earth history can be assessed by the paleomagnetic study of Archean rocks. Notwithstanding, only few targets are presently available for this kind of study on the planet's surface which did not experience intense deformation and metamorphism. In this project we will study the rhyolites and mafic dykes of the Gavião block, São Francisco Craton, recently dated at ~3.3 Ga. The project aims at reconstructing the paleogeography of the São Francisco Craton by that time and compare its paleoposition to that of coeval units in Australia and South Africa, which form the core of the first supercontinent: the Vaalbara. (AU)