Earth Science 7-Gondwaughna1

This will be Ms. Waugh's Sample Region Page

Instead of a current continent, this is page is related to the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Since we do not yet know the details of the terrain of Gondwanaland and because the continent appeared to chance significantly over it's 340 m.y. existence ^[1], much of what I have written is fictional, based on a few facts.

^[2]

Countries(in this case continents)

Antarctica, South America, Africa, Australia, India

Latitude and Longitude

The Latitude range is 90^o S to about 0^o

The Longitude range is about 32^oE to 65^oW ^[3]

Elevation Range

Sea Level to 4000m

Major Bodies of Water

Georges Lake

Lombardi River

Henry River

Punches River

Topographic Features

Desjardins Mountain Range

Gant Plataeu

Claremont River Basin

Westheimer Rift Basin

Buffalo Speedway Mountains

Bordering Oceans

Surrounded by Panthalassa Sea

Ocean Currents

Salinity

Tides

Waves

- tsunamis

Ice Cover

Climate Zones

Gondwaughna has many climates due it it's size and location on the planet. It has ET (Polar Tundra), Dfc (snow, humid, cool summer), Bwk (arid, winter dry, cool arid, Cfa (warm temperate, fully humid, hot summer). ^[4]

Factors that affect the climate of Gondwaughna:

Gondwaughna is completely surrounded by an ocean, Panthalassa, and centered more or less along the 30 degree S latitude. Because nearly half of the continent lies from 30-90 degress S it's southern latitude it's climate is predominately ET. A large portion, up to 50% is covered by glaciers. The Desjardins Range runs from N to S along the 10 degrees E longitude. This mountain chain causes a rain shadow on the eastern side causing the Gant Plateau to be a ******* climate region. Much of the coastal regions north of 40S are controlled by the ocean currents and latitude and are in the **************** climate zone.

Plate Tectonics

Gondwaughna is surrounded by a passive margin. It lies entirely on one plate. Divergent margins are beginning to form on many parts of the continent.

Volcanoes

The major volcanoes of the region are the Science Range, composed mostly of composite cones. The Lassie Range, located in the eastern part of the region, also composed of composite cones with intermediate magma, and the Les Paul Range, located alone the southern boundary. Also composite cones. There are numerous volcanoes located on the continent. Most of them are all either cinder or composite cones, much like those found in the East African Rift zone today. There is one continental hot spot, called Bluestone, composed mostly of rhyolitic magma.

Bluestone last erupted 2,000,000 yrs ago. Biology in the Science Range is the most active volcano, having erupted most recently in 2011 destroying much of the city of Kinkaid.

^[5]

Earthquakes

Most of the major earth quakes of Gondwaughna occur in the volcanic mountain ranges and are often associated with eruptions.