RECONSTRUCTIONS OF THE CAMPBELL PLATEAU AND THE LORD HOWE RISE

Reconstructions of the southeastern margin of Gondwanaland require either a separation of East and West Antarctica or movement between the Lord Howe Rise and the Campbell Plateau. Previous plate tectonic reconstructions based on sea-floor spreading data eliminated the Lord Howe Rise-Campbell Plateau separation prior to 36 m.y. ago because of overlap. This conclusion is dependent on the reconstruction of Australia and Antarctica, interpretation of magnetic anomalies between Antarctica and the Campbell Plateau and the nature of the plate boundary in New Zealand. Revised reconstructions of the fit between Australia and Antarctica, and a reinterpretation of the magnetic anomalies between the Campbell Plateau and Antarctica suggest that there is no problem of overlap between the Lord Howe Rise and the Campbell Plateau, and that continued motion between these plates prior to 36 m.y. ago is a more plausible alternative to separation between East and West Antarctica. © 1979.