The Wilson Cycle describes the closing and opening of an ocean along the
same plate boundary (J.T. Wilson, 1966, Did the Atlantic close and then
re-open? Nature 211, 676-681).
For example, the Iapetus Ocean between the Norwegian margin of Baltica and
the Greenland margin of Laurentia closed by subduction and collision
around 425 million years ago. This led to the formation of the Caledonide
mountains and the high-pressure rocks now exposed in western Norway.
Extension caused break-up of the new continent and the formation of the
North Atlantic Ocean from around 54 million years ago.
In this project we investigate the dynamics of the different stages of a
Wilson Cycle: closure of an ocean by subduction,
the end of convergence by continental collision, and subsequent rifting.
The project is financed by the Norwegian Research Council
(project 180449/V30) and the Geological Survey of Norway.
Project participants: