Łysogóry Unit (Central Poland) versus East European Craton -- application of sedimentological data from Cambrian siliciclastic association

Abstract

The Middle and Late Cambrian deposits of the Łysogóry Unit and the Early and Middle Cambrian deposits of the East European Craton form part of an extensive siliciclastic sedimentary prism that was deposited on a tide and storm influenced continental shelf. In SE Poland, the proximal part of the Cambrian passive margin sedimentary prism of the East European Craton (Baltica) corresponds to the Łysogóry Unit whereas the NE part of the Małopolska Massif is thought to represent its distal part. Based on sedimentological criteria, the Cambrian siliciclastic association appears to indicate that the Łysogóry Unit and Małopolska Massif were not detached from Baltica during the breakup of the Precambrian Rodinia supercontinent, thus casting serious doubt on the exotic terrane nature of the Holy Cross Mts. Neither the Łysogóry Unit nor the Małopolska Massif are terranes in so far as they were not subject to lateral translations along the margin of Baltica. The Cambrian phases of Caledonian deformations in the Holy Cross Mts. may be explained in terms of rotational block movements controlled by large-scale listric normal faults dipping off the craton.