It is also known as the New Zealand continent or Tasmantis
It is a nearly submerged continental fragment that sank after breaking away from Australia 60–85 Ma (million years) ago, having separated from Antarctica between 85 and 130 Ma ago.
It may have been completely submerged about 23 Ma ago, and most of it (93%) remains submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean.
Zealandia supports substantial inshore fisheries and contains New Zealand's largest gas field, near Taranaki.
With a total area of approximately 4,920,000 km2 it is the world's largest current microcontinent, more than twice the size of the next-largest microcontinent and more than half the size of the Australian continent.
Zealandia is largely made up of two nearly parallel ridges, separated by a failed rift, where the rift breakup of the continent stops and becomes a filled graben.
Volcanism on Zealandia has also taken place repeatedly in various parts of the continental fragment before, during and after it rifted away from the supercontinent Gondwana.
Although Zealandia has shifted approximately 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the northwest with respect to the underlying mantle from the time when it rifted from Antarctica, recurring intracontinental volcanism exhibits magma composition similar to that of volcanoes in previously adjacent parts of Antarctica and Australia.
New Caledonia lies at the northern end of the ancient continent, while New Zealand rises at the plate boundary that bisects it.
And, 94 per cent of Zealandia is below the Pacific Ocean. The bits that aren't waterlogged are commonly referred to as New Zealand and New Caledonia.
The newly found hidden continent Zealandia sits to the east of Australia.
Scientists have confirmed the existence of the eighth Continent named as Zealandia.
Zealandia also includes parts of Australian territory, Lord Howe and Norfolk islands.
The scientists, mostly from the official New Zealand research body GNS Science, said Zealandia was once part of the Gondwana super-continent but broke away about 100 million years ago.
The area, about the same size as the Indian subcontinent, is believed to have broken away from Gondwana many millions of years ago.
It is a nearly submerged continental fragment that sank after breaking away from Australia 60–85 Ma (million years) ago, having separated from Antarctica between 85 and 130 Ma ago.
It may have been completely submerged about 23 Ma ago, and most of it (93%) remains submerged beneath the Pacific Ocean.
Zealandia supports substantial inshore fisheries and contains New Zealand's largest gas field, near Taranaki.
With a total area of approximately 4,920,000 km2 it is the world's largest current microcontinent, more than twice the size of the next-largest microcontinent and more than half the size of the Australian continent.
Zealandia is largely made up of two nearly parallel ridges, separated by a failed rift, where the rift breakup of the continent stops and becomes a filled graben.
Volcanism on Zealandia has also taken place repeatedly in various parts of the continental fragment before, during and after it rifted away from the supercontinent Gondwana.
Although Zealandia has shifted approximately 6,000 km (3,700 mi) to the northwest with respect to the underlying mantle from the time when it rifted from Antarctica, recurring intracontinental volcanism exhibits magma composition similar to that of volcanoes in previously adjacent parts of Antarctica and Australia.
New Caledonia lies at the northern end of the ancient continent, while New Zealand rises at the plate boundary that bisects it.
And, 94 per cent of Zealandia is below the Pacific Ocean. The bits that aren't waterlogged are commonly referred to as New Zealand and New Caledonia.
The newly found hidden continent Zealandia sits to the east of Australia.
Scientists have confirmed the existence of the eighth Continent named as Zealandia.
Zealandia also includes parts of Australian territory, Lord Howe and Norfolk islands.
The scientists, mostly from the official New Zealand research body GNS Science, said Zealandia was once part of the Gondwana super-continent but broke away about 100 million years ago.
The area, about the same size as the Indian subcontinent, is believed to have broken away from Gondwana many millions of years ago.
No comments:
Post a Comment