East Greenland orogen

geology
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Also known as: East Greenland Geosyncline
Also called:
East Greenland Geosyncline

East Greenland orogen, a linear orogenic (mountain) belt that developed from late Precambrian time to the middle of the Paleozoic Era (roughly 650 million to 350 million years ago) along a portion of the eastern coast of Greenland. Deformation occurred during several phases of the Caledonian orogeny (mountain-building episode) between Late Silurian and Late Devonian times (about 423 million to 359 million years ago). The deformation resulted in folding, westward thrusting, and development of angular unconformities beneath and within Devonian sedimentary rocks and was accompanied by the intrusion of Silurian and Devonian granites.

The East Greenland orogen represents the west flank of the Caledonian orogenic belt, the remainder of which is now exposed along the northwest coast of Norway and in northern Britain and Ireland.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.