Zealandia: Earth’s Hidden Continent
Type | Article | ||||||||
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Date | 2017-03 | ||||||||
Language | English | ||||||||
Author(s) | Mortimer Nick1, Campbell Hamish J.2, Tulloch Andy J.1, King Peter R.2, Stagpoole Vaughan M.2, Wood Ray A.2, Rattenbury Mark S.2, Sutherland Rupert3, Adams Chris J.1, Collot Julien4, Seton Maria5 | ||||||||
Affiliation(s) | 1 : GNS Science, Private Bag 1930, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand 2 : GNS Science, P.O. Box 30368, Lower Hutt 5040, New Zealand 3 : SGEES, Victoria University of Wellington, P.O. Box 600, Wellington 6140, New Zealand 4 : Service Géologique de Nouvelle Calédonie, B.P. 465, Nouméa 98845, New Caledonia 5 : School of Geosciences, University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia |
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Source | GSA Today (10525173) (Geological Society of America), 2017-03 , Vol. 27 , N. 3 , P. 27-35 | ||||||||
DOI | 10.1130/GSATG321A.1 | ||||||||
Abstract | A 4.9 Mkm2 region of the southwest Pacific Ocean is made up of continental crust. The region has elevated bathymetry relative to surrounding oceanic crust, diverse and silica-rich rocks, and relatively thick and low-velocity crustal structure. Its isolation from Australia and large area support its definition as a continent— Zealandia. Zealandia was formerly part of Gondwana. Today it is 94% submerged, mainly as a result of widespread Late Cretaceous crustal thinning preceding supercontinent breakup and consequent isostatic balance. The identification of Zealandia as a geological continent, rather than a collection of continental islands, fragments, and slices, more correctly represents the geology of this part of Earth. Zealandia provides a fresh context in which to investigate processes of continental rifting, thinning, and breakup. |
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