WHAT EVIDENCE WAS USED EARLY TO SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF PLATE TECTONICS?

ALFRED LOTHAR WEGENER,

1.Jig-saw puzzle fit of the continents

ALFRED LOTHAR WEGENER, Jig-saw puzzle fit of the continents 2.Fit of geologic materials between continents.

ALFRED LOTHAR WEGENER, Jig-saw puzzle fit of the continents 2.Fit of geologic materials between continents. 3.Global Distribution of plants and animals

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS South America Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America Madagascar Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America India Madagascar Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America India Australia Madagascar Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America Antarctica India Australia Madagascar Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

02.05.a1 1. JIG-SAW PUZZLE FIT OF THE CONTINENTS Africa South America Antarctica India Australia Madagascar Small fragments of other continents Fit accomplished using continental shelves rather than present coastlines

11.10.b1 2. GEOLOGIC SIMILARITIES BETWEEN CONTINENTS. Geologic features formed before the Atlantic Ocean (200 mya) should now be separated by thousands of miles of ocean.

11.10.b1 2. GEOLOGIC SIMILARITIES BETWEEN CONTINENTS. Rocks of the Appalachian Mountains “end” in Newfoundland, but appear to continue on through the British Isles and Scandinavia. Geologic features formed before the Atlantic Ocean (200 mya) should now be separated by thousands of miles of ocean.

11.10.b1 2. GEOLOGIC SIMILARITIES BETWEEN CONTINENTS. Rocks of the Appalachian Mountains “end” in Newfoundland, but appear to continue on through the British Isles and Scandinavia. Geologic features formed before the Atlantic Ocean (200 mya) should now be separated by thousands of miles of ocean. 400 my old rocks (brown) in South America and Africa fit together like the pattern on jig-saw puzzle pieces.

Evidence of glaciation (typical patterns or erosion and deposition). 1.Glaciers on land, not sea 2.Flow patterns match up when reconstructed 250 million years ago Permian -Triassic

3. FOSSIL PLANTS AND ANIMALS. Lystrosaurus Australia, Antarctica, India, Africa Cynognathus South America and Africa

3. FOSSIL PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

Pangea Earth’s History Pangea Forsythe et al., 2009 Eos, 90(41), p PANGEA NOT THE ONLY OR ORIGINAL “SUPER-CONTINENT”