Pangaea

Introduction

Pangaea (Greek Speeling) or "Pangea" is the name given to the supercontinent that existed during the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras about 250 million years ago, before the process of plate tectonics separated Pangaea into the continents we have today. The Supercontinet Theory explain the apperant "puzzle piece fittings" of Major Continents today, as well as some of the major land marks through the proven scientific method. The name Pangea came from German Alfred Wegener, a chief proponent of the continental drift theory, in 1920.

The Break Up

Pangaea first began to break up in the Early-Middle Jurassic, when Pangaea created a rift from the Tethys Ocean from the east and the Pacific from the west. The rifting took place between North America and Africa, the rift produced multiple failed rifts, Mississippi River being the largest. The rift resulted in a new ocean, which today we call the Atlantic.

The Second major division of the Pangea continent occurred 150 million years ago, when the minor supercontinent of Gondwana divied up into the its respective modern continents: South America, Africa and India. Also, the continent of Cimmeria minor supercontinet collided with the Euraisa, causing a subduction zone called Tethyan Trench.

Also, during this time, Madagascar, Australia and India separated from Antartica and moved North. While Madagascar has since locked on the African Plate, India and Australia continue to move at about 5-6 cm a year.

To see an animation of the Pangea Break Up, click here: [1]