Laurentia

Laurentia is the craton at the heart of North America. Many times in its past, Laurentia has been a separate continent as it is now, in the form of North America. During other times in its past, Laurentia has been part of a supercontinent. This is an outline of the history of Laurentia over about three billion years:

Partial (incomplete) history of Laurentia in chronological order

• ~2.5 billion years ago, Arctica formed as an independent continent.
• ~2.45 billion years ago, Arctica was part of the major supercontinent Kenorland.
• ~2.1 billion years ago, when Kenorland shattered, the Arctican craton was part of the minor supercontinent Nena along with Baltica and Eastern Antarctica.
• ~1.8 billion years ago, Laurentia was part of the major supercontinent Columbia.
• ~1.5 billion years ago, Laurentia was an independent continent.
• ~1.1 billion years ago, Laurentia was part of the major supercontinent Rodinia.
• ~750 million years ago, Laurentia was part of the minor supercontinent Protolaurasia. Laurentia nearly rifted apart.
• ~600 million years ago, Laurentia was part of the major supercontinent Pannotia.
• ~Cambrian, Laurentia was an independent continent.
• ~Devonian, Laurentia collided against Baltica, forming the minor supercontinent Euramerica.
• ~Permian, all major continents collide against each other for forming the major supercontinent Pangæa.
• ~Jurassic, Pangæa rifted into two minor supercontinents: Laurasia and Gondwana. Laurentia was part of the minor supercontinent Laurasia.
• ~Cretaceous, Laurentia was an independent continent called North America.
• ~Neogene, Laurentia, in the form of North America, crashed into South America, forming the minor supercontinent America.
• ~250 million years from now, all continents will crash together for forming the major supercontinent Pangæa Ultima. Laurentia will be of Pangæa Ultima.
• ~400 million years from now, the major supercontinent Pangæa Ultima will disintegrate. None knows what will happen to Laurentia when Pangæa Ultima disintigrates.

External Links

Paleogeography of the Southwestern US (http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~rcb7/paleogeogwus.html) - Paleogeographic history of southwestern Laurentia, goes back to 1.7 billion years ago.

Mesozoic Paleogeography and Tectonic History, Western North America (http://jan.ucc.nau.edu/~rcb7/mz_paleogeog_wus.html) - Paleogeographic history of western Laurentia, goes back to the Permian period.

nl:Laurentië