GPLATES PROCEDYRE

Our plate reconstructions use a hybrid plate motion frame that combines hotspot and true polar wander (TPW) corrected palaeomagnetic (before 125 Ma) reference frames, which can be referred to as a mantle frame.  At start-up, the GPlates software defaults to a mantle frame (Plate Id = 0). In order to show our reconstructions with respect to the spin-axis (palaeomagnetic or paleogeographic frame), which is the case for almost all our diagrams, select option “Reconstruction”, sub-option “Specify Anchored Plate ID”, and type 1.

Plate reconstructions that aims to explore paleoclimate (e.g. plotting sedimentary facies such as evaporites, coal and tillites or comparing reconstructions with global climate simulations) should ALWAYS be reconstructed with Plate Id = 1. 

Conversely, Plate Id = 0 (mantle frame) should be used as input for mantle modelling and for example to compare surface volcanism such as large igneous provinces and kimberlites with deep mantle mantle anomalies.   

The following files are included in CEED6.ZIP:

We have included a GPlates Project File --  EarthHistory2016.gproj -- that will load the following files:
Torsvik_Cocks_HybridRotationFile.rot [GPlates rotation file 0-540 Ma]
CEED6_LAND.shp (and other extensions) [Coastlines divided into Units described in Chapter 3]
CEED6_MICROCONTINENTS.shp (and other extensions) [Microcontinents described in Chapter 3]
CEED6_TERRANES.shp (and other extensions) [a few terranes/arcs that no longer exist]

In addition we have also included the following features (and much more to come):
CEED6_LIPCentersAround5Ma.shp [LIP centers 5 Myr before to 5 Myr after main eruption event, Table 1]
Hotspot_Surface_Motion_PD2012.shp [Surface location of advected hotspots; Doubrovine et al. 2012]
SMEANSLOW1_ID1.shp [Plume Generation Zone in SMEAN model (1% slow contour) Becker & Boschi 2002]
10_SMEANLOW0.9.shp [Plume Generation Zone in s10MEAN (0.9% slow contour) Doubrovine et al. 2016]

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