Breakup of Rodinia and early stages of evolution of the Paleoasian ocean

The main stages of the evolution of newly formed structural elements are considered against the background of breakup of the epi-Grenville Rodinia supercontinent, which started about 950 Ma ago. The paleomagnetic data on pathways of the traveling of Rodinia’s fragments are analyzed and evidence for their geology, magmatism, and sedimentation are integrated with special emphasis on the evolution of the continental margins. A series of paleotectonic maps with elements of paleogeography for time intervals of 950–900, 850–800, 750–700, 650–630, and 570–550 Ma ago has been compiled on the basis of palinspastic reconstructions with allowance for new paleomagnetic data primarily concerning the position of Siberia in the Late Precambrian. Objects all over the world, not only in Russia, are involved in the analysis, though with less thoroughly described paleogeography. The structural elements of the Paleoasian ocean are included into the system of global paleooceans and framing paleocontinents. The history of the Paleoasian ocean is traced through 400 Ma from the breakup of the Rodinia supercontinent to the origin of the new Paleogondwana supercontinent about 550 Ma ago.