kontinentalsparet

Kontinentalsparet is a Swedish term that translates to "continental drift" or "continental separation." It refers to the geological process by which the Earth's continents have moved and are continuing to move across the planet's surface. This movement is driven by the slow convection currents within the Earth's mantle, which cause the lithospheric plates, including the continental crust, to shift.

The theory of continental drift was popularized by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century. He proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea, which eventually broke apart and drifted to their current positions. Evidence supporting this theory includes the matching shapes of coastlines on different continents, the presence of similar fossils and rock formations on widely separated landmasses, and paleoclimatic data indicating past climates that differ from present conditions.

Modern geology has expanded on Wegener's ideas with the theory of plate tectonics, which explains the mechanisms behind continental movement. Plate tectonics describes how the Earth's outer shell is divided into several large plates that float on the semi-fluid mantle. The interaction between these plates at their boundaries—through processes like subduction, seafloor spreading, and transform faulting—is responsible for the ongoing kontinentalsparet and associated geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic activity. The continents continue to drift today, albeit at a rate of a few centimeters per year.