Problems of Global Tectonics

Abstract Problems of the new global tectonics were discussed at length at a meeting of the Geological, Geochemical, and Geophysical Branch of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in February 1972, and the arguments pro and con regarding plate tectonics are presented here from the viewpoint of USSR geologists. The discussion showed that the approach to many problems from the new global tectonics perspective stimulated considerably the development of earth-science ideas. Many tenets of plate tectonics, such as sea-floor spreading and the horizontal movement of lithosphere plates, are supported by evidence from the study of geosynclinal belts. On the other hand, other tenets, such as the so-called subduction, are documented insufficiently. Even though the new global tectonics is a good basis for future geologic study, it cannot be considered as an absolute truth which explains all geologic phenomena.