Planation surfaces of continental platforms: their correlation and formation conditions

Abstract

Five planation surfaces are shown to occur on all continents. The surfaces are of Middle Triassic, Early Cretaceous, Paleogene, Miocene and Pliocene age. Their formation took place in the semiarid climate, later the crusts of weathering were superimposed: lateritic crust on the Triassic and Cretaceous surfaces, silicious - on the Paleogene, red eluvial-deluvial clays - on the Miocene and Pliocene surfaces. The relief type of planation surfaces depends on the rock type.