Geophysics from Canada, Russia and Sweden decided the age-old problem — scientists have explained when and how the ancient supercontinents of Columbia and Rodinia came together. The study authors published in the Nature Geoscience magazine, briefly about it it is reported on the website of Wyoming University (USA).
“In this new study we conclude that the North Lawrence (North America) and South Siberia have been combined during the periods approximately from 1.2 to 1.9 billion years to 700 million years ago,” said co-author Kevin Chamberlain from University of Wyoming.
“Geologists, like detectives. It seems that we came to the scene after the incident and gathered his pieces together,” said Chamberlain. He noted that in the study the researchers found on various previously adjacent to each other territories of the modern continents specimens of the same species.
The position of the latter, their structure and chemical composition pointed to a common origin. This means that previously they were a single entity, in particular, was included in the joint supercontinent. Comparing the age of rocks was performed using the uranium-lead method.
In total, the researchers found about 250 diec, comparison of the rocks of which were sufficient for building the necessary base of the continental specimens 2700-500 ages of millions of years. Scientists are also working on younger samples (100-400 million years). The research of experts can be useful to predict the economic feasibility of future oil and gas exploration.
