Prelims: Physical Geography| Current events of national and international importance
Why in News?
A recent study, reveals how hidden mountain chain of Gamburtsev Mountains emerged more than 500 million years ago when the supercontinent Gondwana formed from colliding tectonic plates.
In Antarctica, some peaks, like the towering Transantarctic Mountains, rise above the ice. Others, like the ancient Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains in the middle of East Antarctica, are completely buried.
Typically, a mountain range will rise in places where 2 tectonic plates clash with each other. For example, the Himalayas are still rising today as the Indian and Eurasian plates continue to converge, a process that began about 50 million years ago.
East Antarctica |
|
Zircons are often called “time capsules” because they contain minuscule amounts of uranium in their crystal structure, which decays at a known rate and allows scientists to determine their age with great precision.
The Denman Glacier on East Antarctica’s coast uncovered rocks that may be related to these ancient mountains.
Reference