GSA Today - Zealandia: Earth's Hidden Continent : comparemel

GSA Today - Zealandia: Earth's Hidden Continent


GSA Today
Zealandia: Earth’s Hidden Continent
Cover Image
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
Abstract
A 4.9 Mkm
2 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.

Related Keywords

Madagascar , Australia , Auckland Islands , New Zealand General , New Zealand , Greenland , New Caledonia Trough , New Caledonia General , New Caledonia , Red Sea , Djibouti General , Djibouti , United States , Alexandria , Al Iskandariyah , Egypt , Antarctica , Jan Mayen , Amsterdam , Noord Holland , Netherlands , Haast , Wellington , India , Lord Howe Island , New South Wales , Wijk , Limburg , Three Kings , Indian Ocean , Oc , , Cambridge , Cambridgeshire , United Kingdom , Ireland , Bounty Islands , Campbell Island , Mount Cook , Kermadec , Chatham Islands , Norfolk Ridge , Virginia , Fiji , Tonga , Northland , Canada , London , City Of , Canberra , Australian Capital Territory , Taranaki , Victoria Basin , Maharashtra , Sydney , Wanganui , Kermadec Islands , Stewart Island , Norfolk Island , Takaka , America , Australian , Canadian , American , Hamishj Campbell , Rupert Sutherland , Jerry Dickens , Andyj Tulloch , Thomas Nelson , Gondwana Mortimer , Belinda Smith Lyttle , Pacific Ocean , Zealandia Megasequence , Peterr King , Weddell Sea , Laptev Sea , Peter Cawood , Julien Collot , Maria Seton , Araya Wood , Caledonia Klingelhoefer , Dampier Ridge , Ron Hackney , Ross Sea , Marks Rattenbury , Nick Mortimer , Vaughanm Stagpoole , Chrisj Adams , Gulden Draak , Brendan Murphy , Mercator , Geological Society Of Australia Special Publication , Zealand Oceanographic Institute Memoir , Nuclear Sciences Geophysical Map , Geological Society Of America Special Paper , American Geological Institute , Journal Of Geophysical Research , Institute Of Geological , Cambridge University Press , Proceedings Of The New Zealand Institute , School Of Geosciences , Cambridge University , Gibson , United Nations Commission , Australian Journal Of Earth Sciences , Geological Society London Special Publication , Victoria University Of Wellington , Canadian Journal Of Earth Sciences , Petroleum Geology , Elsevier , Geological Society Special Publication , Geophysical Journal International , Seismological Research Letters , Thomson , Steinberger , University Of Sydney , Recommendations Of The Commission , Gondwana Research , Nuclear Sciences Information Series , Dawes , Mooney , Journal International , Precambrian Research , Geophysical Research Abstracts , Geoscience Society Of New Zealand , Pearson , Full Text , Private Bag , Lower Hutt , Victoria University , Late Cretaceous , North America , South America , Chatham Rise , Campbell Plateau , Lord Howe Rise , Agulhas Plateau , Kerguelen Plateau , Ontong Java Plateau , Manihiki Plateau , East Tasman , West Torres Plateau , Cato Trough , Chesterfield Islands , Antipodes Islands , Median Batholith , Haast Schist , Middle Cambrian , Takaka Terrane , Jacquiery Suite , South Island , West Antarctica , Marion Plateau , Baffin Island , North American , Nares Strait , Ellesmere Island , Central America , Cato Fracture Zone , Mellish Rise , West Torres , East Antarctica , Falkland Plateau , Cenozoic Pacific Australian , Patti Durance , New Zealand Government , Campbell Magnetic Anomaly System , New Zealand Journal , Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems , Geoscience Australia , New Zealand Oceanographic Institute Memoir , Geophysical Research , Space Physics , Evolving Planetary System , Earth Science Reviews , Kenn Plateau , Australian Journal , Earth Sciences , New Zealand Plateau , New Zealand Institute , Tasman Sea , Australian Plate , Geological Society , Australia Special Publication , Kermadec Havre Taupo Volcanic Zone , Geoscience Society , Royal Society , Sedimentary Basins , Crustal Processes , Continental Margins , From Modern Hyper Extended Margins , Deformed Ancient Analogues , Special Publication , Antarctic Science , Global Tectonics , Mesozoic Victoria Basin , Colorado River , United Statesa , Structural Geology , Planetary Science Letters , East Gondwana ,

© 2025 Vimarsana