Australian and French scientists have discovered evidence of a new continent forming in the southern Indian Ocean, near Antarctica. The research, published in the journal 'Terra Nova', indicates that continental crust, the foundation for future land, is actively forming in this region.
Evidence of Formation
Analysis of rock composition reveals a structure significantly different from typical oceanic crust. Researchers note a growth rate averaging 0.001 cubic kilometers per year, reaching 0.8 cubic kilometers in some areas. These processes occur in subduction zones, where an oceanic plate slides beneath a continental plate, leading to rock melting and magma formation – the initial stage of continent formation.
Timeline
Scientists estimate that the growth of the new crust began approximately 7-12 million years ago. If the current rate continues, it will take roughly the same amount of time for a fully-fledged continent to form in this area. A key indicator of this process is the accumulation of a granite layer, the main building material of all existing continents.