TOPIC: Theory of Continental Drift
Continents and ocean basins are the fundamental geographical features of the globe. It is,
therefore necessary to enquire about their origin and evolution, Different views and
concepts, theories regarding the origin of the continents and ocean basins have been put
forth by scientists from time to time. The idea that the continents instead of being stable
are drifting was first suggested by A. Snider in 1858 and later at the beginning of 20th
century, F.B Taylor presented his version of continental drift which was again modified by
Alfred Wegener.
Wegener’s Theory
Alfred Wegener’s Continental drift Theory grew out of the need of explaining major
variations of climate in the past whereby he assumed that climate of the region remains
stationary and continents drift. According to Wegener, the continents were all part of huge
landmass called Pangea that was surrounded by a single ocean, Panthalassa. 250 million
years ago Pangea started to break up and the continents slowly drifted to their present
locations. This model found additional support in geological data regarding prehistoric
climate.
Wegener examined what was known about the climates of the distant past and tried to
arrange the continents in each geologic period so that the glaciers were near the poles and
the hot regions were near the equator. He found the glacial deposits and fossil remains of
certain distinctive plant species follow each other in the same succession in Argentina,
Brazil, South Africa, Antarctica, India and Australia. A recent discovery of this kind was the
identification of a skull of the reptile Lystrosaurus in sandstone layer in the Alexandra
mountain range of Antarctica. This creature, which was about three feet long, flourished
long ago in Africa. It is as unlikely that Lystrosaurus swam 270 miles between Africa and
Antarctica.
Laurasia and Gondwanaland
Super continent Pangea began to break apart into two landmasses, Laurasia (which
consisted of what is now North America, Greenland and most of Eurasia) and
Gondwanaland (South America, Africa, Antarctica, India and Australia) . Laurasia and
Gondwana land were almost equal in size. The separation of Pangaea into these landmasses
is supported by detailed geological and biological evidence, for instance certain differences
between Laurasian and Gondwanaland fossils of the same age.
Laurasia and Gondwanaland were separated by a body of water called the Tethys Sea (now
a part of Mediterranean, Caspian and Black Seas) but its original extent can be gauged from
the sediments that are subsequently uplifted to form the mountain ranges that stretch from
Gibraltar eastward to the pacific. The Pyrenees, Alps and Caucasus of Europe, the Atlas
Mountains of North Africa and the Himalayas of Asia are made up of sediments of the
Tethys Sea.
Not long after Pangea split apart, South America and Africa became detached as a unit from
the rest of the Gondwanaland and later they separated as the South Atlantic Ocean came
into being. By about 65 million years ago the Atlantic Ocean had completed its extension
northward, Australia had separated from Antarctica and India had begun to drift towards
Asia.
Gravity of the earth and the tidal currents were given as the main factors causing the drift,
by Wegener. The geological processes responsible for continental drift are on such a large
scale that it is unlikely to have started only 200 million years ago which is relatively recent in
the history of the earth. Hence it is likely that continental drift was taking place even before
Pangea was formed and in fact there is some evidence that Pangea was the result of the
coming together of three landmasses, Gondwanaland, Asia east of the Ural Mountains and a
unit consisting of North America, Greenland and Europe.
A different hypothesis called Plate Tectonic Theory was developed later to understand the
drifting of continents but until its discovery in 1960, continental drift theory was considered
to be a comprehensive, attractive and a major direction towards explanation of origin of
continents and oceans.
The shifting of continents across time periods.
According to geologists, Earth may look like one giant continent in future.
Evidence in support of Continental Drift
Apparent Affinity of Physical Features
South America and Africa seem to fit in with each other, especially, the bulge of Brazil
fits into the Gulf of Guinea. This is known as Jig-Saw fit or Juxtaposition.
Greenland seems to fit in well with Ellesmere and Baffin islands.
The west coast of India, Madagascar and Africa seem to have been joined.
North and South America on one side and Africa and Europe on the other fit along the
mid-Atlantic ridge.
The Caledonian and Hercynian mountains of Europe and the Appalachians of USA
seem to be one continuous series.
Caledonian mountains
Caledonian and Hercynian mountains
Polar Wandering
The constant shifting of poles is explains shifting of landmasses too.
Distribution of Fossils
The observations that Lemurs occur in India, Madagascar and Africa led some to
consider a contiguous landmass “Lemuria” linking these three landmasses.
Mesosaurus was a small reptile adapted to shallow brackish water. The skeletons of
these are found only in South Africa and Brazil. The two localities presently are 4,800
km apart with an ocean in between them.
Botanical Evidence
Presence of glossopteris vegetation in carboniferous rocks of India, Australia, South
Africa, Falkland Islands (Overseas territory of UK), Antarctica, etc. can be explained on
the basis of the fact that parts were linked in the past.
Rocks of Same Age Across the Oceans
The belt of ancient rocks of 2,000 million years from Brazil coast matches with those
from western Africa.
Glacial (Tillite) deposits
It is the sedimentary rock formed out of deposits of glaciers. The Gondwana system of
sediments from India is known to have its counter parts in six different landmasses of
the Southern Hemisphere.
At the base the system has thick ice indicating extensive and prolonged glaciation.
Counter parts of these ice deposits are found in Africa, Falkland Island, Madagascar,
Antarctica and Australia besides India.
Gold (Placer) Deposits
Rich deposits of gold are found on the Ghana coast (West Africa) but the source (gold
bearing veins) are in Brazil and it is obvious that the gold deposits of the Ghana are
derived from the Brazil plateau when the two continents lay side by side.
Drawbacks of Continental Drift Theory
Vague logic of jig-saw fit as both coasts of Africa and South America do not completely
fit each other.
Wegener failed to explain why the drift began only 250 million years ago and not
before.
The theory doesn’t take oceans into consideration.
Proofs heavily depend on assumptions and are very general in nature.
Forces like buoyancy, tidal currents and gravity are too weak to be able to move
continents.
Modern theories (Plate Tectonics) accept the existence of Pangea and related
landmasses but give a very different explanation to the causes of drift.
Reference:- https://www.pmfias.com/continental-drift-theory-tectonics-evidences-continental-drift/
