Scientists discover new continent in…, mysterious place was hidden for millions of years under…, it was found due to…
Copenhagen: In a significant discovery, scientists have found a lost continental piece hidden beneath the thick ice of Greenland. It is believed that the microcontinent was formed millions of years ago and remained buried under the ice until now. According to scientists, it is part of a complex tectonic rift system between Greenland and Canada and was detected using gravity maps and seismic imaging. This major discovery could reshape the map of the North Atlantic. Moreover, the finding enhances our understanding of how ancient crustal pieces became trapped during continental separation, the birth of new oceans, and plate tectonic reorganisation.
As pas a report by TOI, the continental piece has been discovered in a region separating Canada and Greenland. This region has been very crucial for a long period due to its complex geographical conditions. This is the region where the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay connect through the Davis Strait. The region is formed when the tectonic activity took place during the Paleogene period. Between 61 and 33 million years ago, Earth’s crust fractured, initiating a period of continental rifting and seafloor spreading.
Researchers’ Take
Researchers have identified a partially submerged continental fragment, the Davis Strait Proto-Microcontinent, located approximately 19-24 kilometers beneath the seafloor. This piece of continental crust failed to fully detach from a larger landmass, resulting in its current submerged state. The term “proto-microcontinent” describes this incompletely separated section of continental lithosphere.
To identify the structure, scientists used gravity maps and seismic imaging. As per the collected data, the direction of seafloor spreading changed 49-58 million years ago. The proto-microcontinent’s position was mainly influenced by a change in its orientation, from a northeast-southwest to a north-south axis.
Knowledge About Earth’s Development Will Increase
Approximately 33 million years ago, Greenland’s tectonic activity ceased when it joined the North American plate, colliding with Ellesmere Island. This event solidified a proto-microcontinent’s position beneath the sea off Greenland’s west coast. This finding enhances our comprehension of plate tectonics, the theory describing Earth’s surface formation and evolution, and contributes to a better understanding of continental separation and ocean formation.
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