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Research Article| December 20, 2017 Thermochronology links denudation of the Great Unconformity surface to the supercontinent cycle and snowball Earth M.S. DeLucia; M.S. DeLucia * 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA *E-mail: mdelucia@illinois.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar W.R. Guenthner; W.R. Guenthner 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S. Marshak; S. Marshak 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar S.N. Thomson; S.N. Thomson 2Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1040 E. 4th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A.K. Ault A.K. Ault 3Department of Geology, Utah State University, 4505 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information M.S. DeLucia * 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA W.R. Guenthner 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA S. Marshak 1Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 W. Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA S.N. Thomson 2Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, 1040 E. 4th Street, Tucson, Arizona 85721, USA A.K. Ault 3Department of Geology, Utah State University, 4505 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, USA *E-mail: mdelucia@illinois.edu Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 13 Jul 2017 Revision Received: 02 Nov 2017 Accepted: 05 Nov 2017 First Online: 20 Dec 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2682 Print Issn: 0091-7613 © 2017 Geological Society of America Geology (2018) 46 (2): 167–170. https://doi.org/10.1130/G39525.1 Article history Received: 13 Jul 2017 Revision Received: 02 Nov 2017 Accepted: 05 Nov 2017 First Online: 20 Dec 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation M.S. DeLucia, W.R. Guenthner, S. Marshak, S.N. Thomson, A.K. Ault; Thermochronology links denudation of the Great Unconformity surface to the supercontinent cycle and snowball Earth. Geology 2017;; 46 (2): 167–170. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G39525.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The Great Unconformity (GU), a global erosion surface separating Precambrian and Paleozoic rocks, represents ∼100–1000 m.y. of missing geologic time. The timing of erosion and amount of denudation leading to the formation of the GU remains largely unknown, but could provide important constraints to models of cratonic vertical movements during the supercontinent cycle, and estimates of sediment production that influenced Neoproterozoic ocean-atmosphere chemistry. The Ozark Plateau in the North America craton exposes ca. 1400 Ma granite below ca. 500 Ma sandstone. We quantify the timing and rates of basement cooling (as an exhumation proxy) at this location by using zircon (U-Th)/He thermochronology and a model describing coevolution of radiation damage and helium diffusion in zircon. This approach reveals Precambrian exhumation phases from a minimum depth of ∼6 km ca. 850–680 Ma. Complementary apatite (U-Th)/He and fission track data record younger exhumation at ca. 225–150 Ma, as detected by previous studies. These denudation phases coincide with Rodinia and Pangea supercontinent break up, a result that implies a genetic relation between continental uplift and phases in the supercontinent cycle, and supports correlations relating snowball Earth cooling to increased weathering and CO2 drawdown. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.