The paleomagnetism of the salt pseudomorph beds of middle cambrian age from the salt range, West Pakistan

Abstract

Oriented cores for a paleomagnetic investigation were collected from ten sites in the sedimentary redbeds of the Salt Pseudomorph Beds of Middle Cambrian age m the Salt Range near Khcwra. All samples were subjected to progressive, thermal demagnetization procedures which revealed the characteristic direction of magnetization. The material of ten sites with a total number of 71 specimens was included in the analysis, giving an overall mean direction with D = 215.9 °,I = +42.4 °, C,9s = 13.7 '~. In the ultimate analysis the material of six sites was included, because four site~ shox~ fairly strong deviations from the mean direction. The virtual magnetic pole position is located at 26.6 ° S, 33.5 ° F, with A9s = 5.1 °. A Phanerozoic polar wander curve is given for lndiaq'akistan. The result presented here supports the view that in Gondwana reconstructions the west coast of-the Indian subcontinent is best fitted alongside the northeast coast of Africa.