The Kwangsian Orogeny was first proposed by Prof. Ting V K (Ding Wenjiang) in 1929. It originated along the southeast coast of China and stepwise developed in a northwestern direction. Based on a precise biostratigraphic study, two stages of the Kwangsian Orogeny were recognized: a long, locally varying uplift from the Late Ordovician to the early Silurian, and a finally tectonic movement near the Silurian and Devonian transition. The Kwangsian uplift event shows a stepwise delay northwestwards from the southeastern coast area in the Nemagraptus gracilis Biozone to the south side of the Xuefeng Mountains in or later than the Cystograptus vesiculosus Biozone to the Coronograptus cyphus Biozone. In the south of the Yangtze Platform, the Yichang Uplift was driven by the Kwangsian Orogeny forming a diachronous stratigraphical break through Rhuddanian and Aeronian.

The research article by Professor CHEN Xu from Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences and his colleagues was published as a cover paper of the Science China: Earth Sciences.

Detailed information: CHEN Xu, FAN Junxuan, CHEN Qing, TANG Lan, HOU Xudong. 2014. Toward a stepwise Kwangsian Orogeny. Science China: Earth Sciences, 57(3): 379-387, doi: 10.1007/s11430-013-4815-y

Ordovician and Silurian correlation from the southeastern coast of China to the Yangtze region through the Xuefeng-Jiuling Mountains

Northwestward stepwise uplift of the Kwangsian Orogeny from the southeastern coast of China to the Yangtze region through the Xuefeng-Jiuling Mountains