3 ms·

I'm curious about the accuracy of the visualization. Specifically, at around 20M yrs, one can clearly see the mediterranean sea. The wikipedia page for the Zanc

by lhorie 8y ago

I'm curious about the accuracy of the visualization. Specifically, at around 20M yrs, one can clearly see the mediterranean sea. The wikipedia page for the Zanclean Deluge[1] says it's theorized to have happened around 5M yrs ago. Does this mean that the data from gplates doesn't support that theory? Or is that just an artifact of how things were put together for this project? Nonetheless, cool project! [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclean_flood https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zanclean_flood

typpo 8y ago
This is a good point, and I think we'd have to take it up with Chris Scotese, the geologist who produced the rasters I wrap around the globe[1]. There are some details in the PDF included in the download, which explains some coloration choices based on elevation (search for "paleocoastline")[2]. That said, I think there is artistic license taken, and the wet Mediterranean might be an oversight or even a statement by the artist (I've gotten emails from angry geologists because the globe does not advance one theory or another). Part of Scotese's work also predates some of the research on this topic. It would certainly be more accurate to show a simple plate diagram rather than an artistic version of the Earth, and it would make my life easier too because then I could show continuous plate movement for each year. But there is a certain thrill in seeing ancient earth all globe-like, so I stand by my choice to use these rasters :) [1] https://www.earthbyte.org/paleomap-paleoatlas-for-gplates/ https://www.earthbyte.org/paleomap-paleoatlas-for-gplates/ [2] https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-q0WIa7ofISFHyBe4UxvN8DIPs82SPmS https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-q0WIa7ofISFHyBe4UxvN8DIPs...
mygo 8y ago
would probably need to look into that theory further. That map at 20Mya is consistent with the fact that Florida was under water during that time. The Gulf Trough, another waterway, was running above the Florida platform around that time up to ~40Mya.

by lhorie 8y ago

typpo 8y ago

This is a good point, and I think we'd have to take it up with Chris Scotese, the geologist who produced the rasters I wrap around the globe[1]. There are some details in the PDF included in the download, which explains some coloration choices based on elevation (search for "paleocoastline")[2]. That said, I think there is artistic license taken, and the wet Mediterranean might be an oversight or even a statement by the artist (I've gotten emails from angry geologists because the globe does not advance one theory or another). Part of Scotese's work also predates some of the research on this topic. It would certainly be more accurate to show a simple plate diagram rather than an artistic version of the Earth, and it would make my life easier too because then I could show continuous plate movement for each year. But there is a certain thrill in seeing ancient earth all globe-like, so I stand by my choice to use these rasters :) [1] https://www.earthbyte.org/paleomap-paleoatlas-for-gplates/ https://www.earthbyte.org/paleomap-paleoatlas-for-gplates/ [2] https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-q0WIa7ofISFHyBe4UxvN8DIPs82SPmS https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-q0WIa7ofISFHyBe4UxvN8DIPs...

mygo 8y ago

would probably need to look into that theory further. That map at 20Mya is consistent with the fact that Florida was under water during that time. The Gulf Trough, another waterway, was running above the Florida platform around that time up to ~40Mya.