Map of Zealandia...the eighth underwater continent
Arabia Weather - Understanding the composition and geography of the terrestrial planet is considered an essential complement to exploring and exploiting its resources and studying the geological and geophysical processes that occur in it. In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in discovering new continents and regions under the surface of the oceans, and among these amazing discoveries, “Zealandia” is considered one of them. One of the most important geological discoveries of the modern era.
Discover Zealandia
The history of the discovery of the continent of Zealandia is a topic that carries a lot of history and scientific development. Some historical sources indicate that the Dutch sailor Abel Tasman discovered the eighth continent in 1642 AD. However, other sources categorically reject this claim. In fact, Tasman’s goal was to discover a new continent. When he arrived on one of the New Zealand islands, he believed that he had discovered the continent, and got to know its inhabitants at that time, who were Maori peoples.
In 1895, Scottish naturalist James Hector established the existence of Zealandia after surveying a chain of islands off the southern coast of New Zealand. He came to the conclusion that New Zealand was the remains of a mountain range that formed what had been a large continental area, which had been submerged by water.
But this recognition of Zealandia's existence as a continent was largely unsupported scientifically until recent years, and in 2014, Zealandia became the focus of documented scientific interest, thanks to research conducted entitled "Zealandia's Hidden Land" by New Zealand researchers Nick Mortimer and Hamish Campbell, and this and other research Geological research has proven Zealandia's classification as an independent continent.
Before that, the name Zealandia had been proposed as a continent since 1995 when American geophysicist and oceanographer Bruce Luyendyk first talked about the concept of a submerged continent. Since then, research and studies related to Zealandia have witnessed significant development, contributing to our better understanding of the eighth continent.
New studies regarding the continent of Zealandia
On September 12 , a new study was published, which is considered one of the most accurate and scientific studies in the field of geology. This study was distinguished by containing geochemical data, rock samples, and seismic readings. The latest study contributed greatly to providing accurate information about the similarities between the eighth continent and the continents. The other provided specific information about the historical stages of the continent’s formation, which scientists consider the most accurate information to date.
The study indicates that there are similarities between Zealandia and Antarctica, which indicates that a “subduction process” occurred between them about 250 million years ago, which is the process of two edges of the continental crust colliding together and one of them heading towards the interior of the Earth. This process resulted in geographical separation and the emergence of the Tasman Sea south of The Pacific Ocean more than 80 million years ago. The study provided accurate geological maps showing deformations in the structure of Antarctica and Zealandia. These deformations were explained based on the common history and separation process between the two continents.
How was the map of Zealandia drawn?
Answer: The map of Zealandia represents an important discovery in the field of geology, as it indicates the existence of a huge continent under the surface of the Southern Ocean. Zealandia is the most recently discovered continent, and is located entirely under water, which makes it a source of mysteries and scientific inquiries.
A group of scientists and researchers from different countries of the world, including the United States, New Zealand, Denmark, and Australia, in joint efforts, drew a map of the continent of Zealandia, and they did this by collecting rock samples from the seabed and using geophysical mapping techniques.
For geologists, a continent is a large area consisting mainly of granite or similar volcanic rocks, and represents what is known as the continental bed. In addition, the continental geological formation includes other elements such as metamorphic rocks that form in active tectonic areas, in addition to sediments that accumulate as a result of erosion of the Earth's surface. .
These conditions apply to Zealandia, but due to the difficulty of accessing it, little is known about its geological nature. However, scientists succeeded in obtaining samples of its rocks, which contributed to preparing an accurate map of the continent.
In 2019, the first geological map of the continent of Zealandia was drawn by a group of scientists of various nationalities, but it was not accurate, and in September 2023, a team of international researchers issued what they claim is the most accurate map of the continent, which is located in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. Near Australia.
The new map was published in the scientific journal Tectonics, and revealed the expansion and tearing of the continent as a result of tectonic forces.
The discovery of Zealandia represents a major addition to our understanding of the planet's history and geology, and shows us that no matter how much we think we know about the world we live in, there are still many secrets beneath the surface of the oceans waiting to be discovered.
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Sources:
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