More Preliminary Analysis of Paleomaps

Post date: Apr 11, 2011 7:20:32 AM

Here are six more analysis of paleomaps for the periods 90, 150, 170, 560, 690, and 750 million years ago. For an explanation of the figures see previous post. These plots now explicitly state in the figures (b) the area and longitudinal angle of maximum facing land area as the planet rotates. It is interesting for example that in the 750 Mya period (figure 6), in Rodinia (1100-750 Mya), about 99% of the land mass of our planet was in one side. Latest supercontinents Pannotia (600-540 Mya) and Pangea (240-175 Mya) were also close to this number. Today 68% of the land mass is in one side at the East 82° longitude, just over Asia. Note that these numbers are based over the equator, we will later calculate the numbers as a function of both longitude and latitude, and with respect to the point of view of the Sun as function of seasons. Check here for a figure of each period (including previous ones) showing the side with the maximum land area cover.

Figure 1. Earth 90 Mya during the Late Cretaceous.

Figure 2. Earth 150 Mya during the Late Jurassic.

Figure 3. Earth 170 Mya during the Middle Jurassic.

Figure 4. Earth 560 Mya during the Late Proterozoic.

Figure 5. Earth 690 Mya during the Precambrian.

Figure 6. Earth 750 Mya during the Precambrian.