Antarctica is known to have been covered in lash vegetation in the earth geological past. Is this likely to happen again? Is the tectonic plate in which Antarctica lies, moving currently, if so which direction?
2007-12-27 17:56:17 · 4 answers · asked by ASK A.S. 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
The Antarctic plate was in pretty much the same position when it was covered in lush vegetation in the Cretaceous. The difference is: 1) global climate and CO2 levels were much higher then, and 2) since the Drake Passage formed around 20 million years ago (from the movement of Sth America away from Antarctica) there has been a circumpolar current which causes the very harsh cold climate over the Antarctica.
If we burn all fossil fuel over the next few 100 years, some models predict we will reach similar CO2 levels to polar forest times. But I don't know how that will go against the circumpolar current.
The plate is now moving very slowly in the Atlantic direction (~1cm a year).
2007-12-27 18:51:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Lash vegetation?
See the link below for info on the geologic history of Antarctica.
2007-12-28 13:13:03 · answer #2 · answered by Wayner 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Asky, I think you need a good book on Plate Tectonics.
Yes it could happen again
The Antarctic is its (see?) own plate and it's a bit pinned down by all that ice.
2007-12-28 02:07:14 · answer #3 · answered by Tom P 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
towards the pacific, west of Galapagos
2007-12-28 02:05:46 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋