About 1.6 billion years ago there was the first supercontinent Columbia.
Scientists at the University kertina (Australia) found that 2.2 billion years ago on Earth from Geology of calm began to occur catastrophic eruption. They were the cause of Colombia — the first supercontinent, which is located in the Northern hemisphere of the Earth. Article researchers published in the journal Nature Geoscience.
Tectonic processes that occurred in the early Paleoproterozoic era (around 2.4 billion years ago), has led to the emergence of superchrono — time major geological structures, consisting of ancient platforms (cratons). However, about 1.6 billion years ago there was the first supercontinent Columbia.
Analysis of the stratigraphic columns that show the sequence of strata of rocks 2.4 to 2.2 billion years ago, demonstrated the existence of a period of calm when almost stopped such geological processes as the outpouring of magma, metamorphism of igneous rocks and mineralization. Such “breaks” were due to either poor preservation of the material, or some changes in the crust and mantle of the Earth.
The researchers showed that the magmatic lull really happened, because in this period also decreased the rate of folding and sedimentation. However, 2.2 billion years ago, the recession was replaced by a new period of magmatism, which is very different from other similar processes before the calm. From the Earth’s mantle as a result of massive eruptions were released large quantities of material that contributed to the emergence of the first hemispheric supercontinent.
