Superkontinenty

Superkontinenty are extremely large continental landmasses that, for prolonged intervals, contain most or all of the Earth's continental crust. They arise when tectonic plates converge and fuse smaller cratons, producing a single expansive crustal block. Their formation and dispersal are central to the concept of the supercontinent cycle, in which cycles of assembly and breakup influence ocean basins, climate, and life. The term is used across geology, but the exact boundaries and names for ancient landmasses vary among reconstructions.

Well-known candidates include Kenorland (about 2.7 to 2.1 billion years ago), Nuna/Columbia (approximately 1.8 to 1.5 billion years ago), Rodinia (roughly 1.3 to 0.9 billion years ago), Pannotia (about 635 to 540 million years ago), and the late Paleozoic Pangaea (about 335 to 175 million years ago). Pangaea comprised two major components, Gondwana in the southern hemisphere and Laurasia in the northern hemisphere, which began to rift during the Early Jurassic and progressively gave rise to the modern continents and oceans.

Evidence for superkontinenty comes from paleomagnetism, the distribution of fossil assemblages, and the alignment of ancient rocks and mineral deposits. The study of these large-scale reorganizations, known as the supercontinent cycle, helps explain shifts in global climate, sea level, and patterns of biological diversification throughout Earth's history.