Recent research has unveiled a new microcontinent beneath the icy waters of the Davis Strait, located between Baffin Island in Canada and Greenland. This finding adds to the complexity of Earth's geological history, challenging traditional geographic education that simplifies the planet into seven continents.
The Davis Strait, formed millions of years ago through tectonic plate movements, has resulted in the creation of a thick continental crust under the ocean. According to a study published in the journal Gondwana Research, this structure is now recognized as a primitive microcontinent.
A team of scientists from the United Kingdom and Sweden investigated tectonic shifts that occurred in the region between 33 and 61 million years ago. Their analysis revealed that these plate movements formed an unusually thick continental crust, measuring between 12 and 15 miles in length, currently found in the western waters of Greenland.
Dubbed the proto-microcontinent of the Davis Strait, this geological phenomenon could have significant implications for understanding the formation of similar structures globally. The researchers emphasized that the identified mechanism for microcontinent formation may be applicable to other analogous areas on the planet.