Paleomagnetic constraints on the paleogeography and oroclinal bending of the Devonian volcanic arc in Kazakhstan

Declinations from other Silurian and Devonian paleomagnetic results in the subduction-related Devonian volcanic arc of Kazakhstan have been corrected for such rotations wherever the latter are reasonably well documented. Using corrected declinations as passive markers we restored the trend of the volcanic belt to its Devonian configuration. Our analysis indicates that the presently curved belt was nearly straight and NW-SE trending. This ∼ 1500 km long volcanic belt characterized the northeastern margin of a landmass in today's central Kazakhstan where subduction occurred towards the southwest. Oroclinal bending of this arc took place in the interval between the Middle Devonian and the Late Permian.