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Encyclopedia > Laurasia

Laurasia was a supercontinent that most recently existed as a part of the split of the Pangaean supercontinent in the late Mesozoic era. It included most of the landmasses which make up today's continents of the northern hemisphere, chiefly Laurentia (most of modern North America), Baltica, Siberia, Kazakhstania, and the North China and East China cratons. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (728x625, 116 KB) This image is a work of a United States Geological Survey employee, taken or made during the course of the persons official duties. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (728x625, 116 KB) This image is a work of a United States Geological Survey employee, taken or made during the course of the persons official duties. ... In geology, a supercontinent is a land mass comprising more than one continental core, or craton. ... For other uses, see Pangaea (disambiguation). ... The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. ... A geologic era is a subdivision of geologic time that is a separate classification that divides the Phanerozoic Eon into three parts timeframes. ... Northern hemisphere highlighted in yellow. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Baltica (green) Baltica is a Late Proterozoic-Early Palaeozoic continent that now includes the East European craton of northwestern Eurasia. ... Siberia (Sometimes called Angara) is the craton located in the heart of the region of Siberia. ... Kazakhstania, also known as the Kazakhstan Block, is a small continental region in the interior of Asia. ... The North China Craton is one of the smaller continental cratons of the Earth. ... World geologic provinces. ...

Contents

Origin

Although Laurasia is known as a Mesozoic phenomenon, today it is believed that the same continents that formed the later Laurasia also existed as a coherent supercontinent after the breakup of Rodinia around 1 billion years ago. To avoid confusion with the Mesozoic continent, this is referred to as Proto-Laurasia. It is believed that Laurasia did not break up again before it recombined with the southern continents to form the late Precambrian supercontinent of Pannotia, which remained until the early Cambrian. Depiction of Rodinia at time of initial breakup. ... Proto-Laurasia (first Laurasia) was an ancient supercontinent. ... Pannotia is the name given to a hypothetical supercontinent that existed from about 600 to about 540 mya. ... For other uses, see Cambrian (disambiguation). ...


Break Up and Reformation

During the Cambrian, Laurasia was largely located in equatorial latitudes and began to break up, with North China and Siberia drifting into latitudes further north than those occupied by continents during the previous 500 million years. By the Devonian, North China was located near the Arctic Circle and it remained the northernmost land in the world during the Carboniferous Ice Age between 300 and 280 million years ago. There is no evidence, though, for any large scale Carbonifeous glaciation of the northern continents. This cold period saw the re-joining of Laurentia and Baltica with the formation of the Appalachian Mountains and the vast coal deposits which are today a mainstay of the economy of such regions as West Virginia and parts of the British Isles and Germany. The North China Craton is one of the smaller continental cratons of the Earth. ... Siberia (Sometimes called Angara) is the craton located in the heart of the region of Siberia. ... For the Celtic language, see Southwestern Brythonic language; for the residents of the English county, see Devon. ... For the fast food restaurant chain, see Arctic Circle Restaurants. ... The Carboniferous is a major division of the geologic timescale that extends from the end of the Devonian period, about 359. ... Variations in CO2, temperature and dust from the Vostok ice core over the last 400 000 years For the animated movie, see Ice Age (movie). ... A glaciation (a created composite term meaning Glacial Period, referring to the Period or Era of, as well as the process of High Glacial Activity), often called an ice age, is a geological phenomenon in which massive ice sheets form in the Arctic and Antarctic and advance toward the equator. ... Appalachians in North Carolina The Appalachian Mountains (French: les Appalaches) are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. ... Coal Coal (IPA: ) is a fossil fuel formed in swamp ecosystems where plant remains were saved by water and mud from oxidization and biodegradation. ... Official language(s) English Capital Charleston Largest city Charleston Area  Ranked 41st  - Total 24,244 sq mi (62,809 km²)  - Width 130 miles (210 km)  - Length 240 miles (385 km)  - % water 0. ... This article describes the archipelago in north-Western Europe. ...


Siberia moved southwards and joined with Kazakhstania, a small continental region believed today to have been created during the Silurian by extensive volcanism. When these two continents joined together, Laurasia was nearly reformed, and by the beginning of the Triassic, the East China craton had rejoined the redeveloping Laurasia as it collided with Gondwana to form Pangaea. North China became, as it drifted southwards from near-Arctic latitudes, the last continent to join with Pangaea. Kazakhstania, also known as the Kazakhstan Block, is a small continental region in the interior of Asia. ... The Triassic is a geologic period that extends from about 251 ± 0. ... For other uses of Gondwana and Gondwanaland, see Gondwana (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Pangaea (disambiguation). ...


Final split

Around 200 million years ago, Pangaea started to break-up. Between eastern North America and northwest Africa, a new ocean formed - the Atlantic Ocean, even though Greenland (attached to North America) and Europe were still joined together. The separation of Europe and Greenland occurred around 60 million years ago (in the Paleocene). Laurasia finally divided into the continents after which it is named: Laurentia (now North America) and Eurasia (excluding India and Arabia). Most of the cratons that made up Laurasia, as can be seen, remain attached to it today, though rifting still occurs today in the region of Lake Baikal. A smaller but historically significant island, Mattopia, has, despite all logic and reasonable predictions of modern plate tectonics, refused to separate off Laurasia's Northeastern coast. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ... A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Paleocene, early dawn of the recent, is a geologic epoch that lasted from 65. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula is a mainly desert peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia and an important part of the greater Middle East. ... “Baikal” redirects here. ...

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ...

See also

[[Image: Image:Example.jpg]] Image File history File links Example. ...


  Results from FactBites:
 
Laurasia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (426 words)
Laurasia was a supercontinent that most recently existed as a part of the split of the Pangaean supercontinent in the late Mesozoic era.
It is believed that Laurasia did not break up again before it recombined with the southern continents to form the late Precambrian supercontinent of Pannotia, which remained until the early Cambrian.
During the Cambrian, Laurasia was largely located in equatorial latitudes and began to break up, with North China and Siberia drifting into latitudes further north than those occupied by continents during the previous 500 million years.
Laurasia class frigate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (319 words)
One Laurasia class frigate, the Gamow, was assigned to the Le Creuset team and escorted the flagship Vesalius until a battle with the Earth Alliance's 8th Fleet.
The Laurasia class is named for one of the two supercontinents which was formed after the breakup of Pangaea.
Laurasia - Minerva - Nazca - Petrie - Vosgulov
  More results at FactBites »


 

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