A robust least-squares Gondwanan apparent polar wander path and the question of palaeomagnetic assessment of Gondwanan reconstruction

Abstract Two hundred and nineteen palaeomagnetic results are combined in calculating Gondwanan apparent polar wander paths, their confidence intervals, and the residual mean square errors about the paths, for six reconstructions. A quantitative assessment of the six reconstructions of Gondwanaland is made on the basis of the consistency of palaeomagnetic pole positions using a new statistical technique. Smith and Hallam's [1] Gondwanan reconstruction is the most effective in accounting for the distribution of the palaeomagnetic data and is used in calculating our preferred apparent polar wander path.

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