SupercontinentsBy Jessie Fifer

What is a Supercontinent?

Supercontinent  (ˈsuːpəˌkɒntɪnənt)

A great landmass thought to have existed in the geological past and to have split into smaller landmasses, which drifted and formed the present continents ("Supercontinent definition ," )

Supercontinent cycles are semiregular groupings of the planet's landmasses into single or large continents that remain stable for a period of time, then disperse, and eventually come back together as new amalgamated landmasses with a different distribution. (“Science Online,”).

Vaalbara

Considered possibly the first continent, since it was the ONLY continent it is also considered a Supercontinent

3.5 billion years ago

Made of two cratons (rock cores)

The two cratons are now divided over 2 continents “aapvaal craton in southern Africa and the Pilbara craton in northwestern Australia” (Wilkins, 2011).

Considered Speculative

Ur

Smallest of Supercontinents

Existed 3 billion years ago

“Today, Ur lives on as part of India, Madagascar, and Australia” (Wilkins, 2011).

“longest-lived landmass this planet will ever see” (Wilkins, 2011).

Remained until the break up of Pangea

Kenorland

2.7 billion years ago

Formed from Neoarchaean cratons (volcanic matter)

Columbia/Nuna/Hudsonland

1.8 billion years ago

12,900km North to South, 4,800km East to West

“It consisted of the proto-cratons that made up the former continents of Laurentia, Baltica, Ukrainian Shield, Amazonian Shield, Australia, and possibly Siberia, North China, and Kalaharia as well” ("Columbia," ).

Rodinia

Between 1.1 billion and 750 million years ago

Little is known about geographical configurations

Multiple theories

“Existed before life colonized dry land, and, since it predated the formation of the ozone layer, it was too exposed to ultraviolet sunlight for any organism to inhabit it” ("Rodinia," ).

Pannotia/Vendian

750 million years ago

Short-lived (60 million years)

Active rifting caused it to split into 4 continents

Pangaea!

300 billion years ago

Most commonly known supercontinent

Fossil evidence of supercontinent

Lasted 100 million years

Amasia!

Amasia!

Science Now states:

“Over the next few hundred million years, the Arctic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea will disappear, and Asia will crash into the Americas forming a supercontinent that will stretch across much of the Northern Hemisphere. That's the conclusion of a new analysis of the movements of these giant landmasses.” (Perkins, 2012)

100 million years from today

“Over the next few hundred million years, Mitchell says, the motions of tectonic plates will cause the Arctic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea to disappear, the western edge of South America to crowd up against the eastern seaboard, and Australia to slam into southeastern Asia. It's unclear whether Antarctica will join the party or be stranded at the South Pole.” (Perkins, 2012)

References Supercontinent definition . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/

supercontinent

Wilkins, A. (2011, January 27). [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://io9.com/5744636/a-geological-history-of-supercontinents-on-planet-earth

Kusky, T. Supercontinent cycles. In Science online. Retrieved from http://0-www.fofweb.com.olinkserver.franklin.edu/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE40&SID=5&iPin=EESS0234&SingleRecord=True

Slide 5 Image: http://img1.rnkr-static.com/user_node_img/50012/1000235451/C350/kenorland-natural-features-photo-u1.jpg

Slide 6 Image: http://mindblowingscience.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/supercontinents.jpg

Rodinia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodinia

Columbia. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbia_(supercontinent)

Slide 7 Image: http://www.nvcc.edu/home/cbentley/shenandoah/rodinia.jpg

Pannotia . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pannotia

Perkins, S. (2012, February 8). Meet 'amasia,' the next supercontinent. Science Now, Retrieved from http://news.sciencemag.org/sciencenow/2012/02/meet-amasia-the-next-supercontin.html