Scientists have announced the existence of a new continent. Ladies and gentlemen, here is Zealand
Theses geologów appeared in the pages of „GSA Today”, magazine published by the American Geological Society. The concept of isolating a new continent is the result of 11 years of research by an international team, którym led by Nick Mortimer.
Discussions about giving New Zealand and New Caledonia, along with Norfolk and Lord Howe islands, continental status have been going on for more than 20 years now. The name itself was proposed back in 1995 by Bruce Luyendyk.
Zealand area, is almost five millionóin a kilometeróin square. Of which 94 percent. is located underwater. The most visible part of the area is, of course, the islands of New Zealand.
Geologists argue their thesis that the geological structure of Zealand significantly ródiffers from the surrounding oceanic crust. Its geological material comes from the same mass. It is also clearly separated from Australia, as satellite measurements prove.
Definition of the continent mówi that this is a large area of land, on the order of several millionóin kilometerów hoóry is surrounded on all sides by seas and oceans. In geotectonics and geomorphology to the continent ofów includes the continental shelves, i.e. the undersea extension of the continent up to the so-called “black hole”. of the continental slope, a place of steep inclination that reaches deep into the.
Six continents are currently recognizedów: Africa, South America, P AmericaóNorth, Antarctica, Australia and Eurasia. Will we have another? – Classifying Zealand as a new continent more appropriately describes the geology of this part of the globe – emphasized Mortimer.
Zealand was part of a southern supercontinent in the past – Gondwana. It separated from the rest of the land about 80 millionów years ago. Geologists say Zealand is slowly rising to the surface. – Zealand emerges from the sea. Once in a similar wayób emerged New Zealand’s Southern Alps and the volcanoes of P IslandóNorth – explained Mortimer.
There is no world institution thatóra would verify the geological data and could possibly recognize the existence of Zealand as a new continent. Therefore, the researchers are counting on the scientific community’s favorable approach to the idea. – We hope Zealandia will appear on world maps – Mortimer said.