BALTICA IN THE SCHEME OF MIDDLE PALEOTECTONIC RECONSTRUCTIONS

Relative kinematics models of the Baltic and Laurentia in the middle Paleozoic on the basis of paleomagnetic data are examined. The constructions were made using both global paleomagnetic databases and the author’s original data. According to the analysis of the Apparent Polar Wander Path for different blocks and new paleomagnetic data for the Silurian-Devonian fragment of the East European Platform (south-western Ukraine, Podolia) two kinematic models were constructed. Dynamic characteristics of each model were analyzed and compared. More preferable appeared the model when Laurentia was near the equator from the mid Llandovery, drifted to the equatorial latitudes of the South Hemisphere in the Lower Devonian and occupied the temperate latitudes of the South Hemisphere at the end of the Lower Devonian. Baltica since the mid Llandoverian drifted from tropical latitudes of the southern hemisphere near the equator and migrated to equatorial latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere at the end of the Lower Devonian. The collision of Laurentia with Baltica occurred at the end of Wenlock, forming the Laurussia. The latitudinal drift of Baltica in the south and north directions did not exceed 10 cm/yr with counterclockwise rotation by 1?2 °/Ma from the Cambrian to the Early Devonian. During the period of 430?400 Ma the East European Platform was moving in equatorial latitudes of the Southern Hemisphere with a counterclockwise rotation of 16°. After the Caledonian orogeny, there was a significant decrease in the rate of rotation.