When the Earth has indigestion, it belches massive amounts of basaltic material from its interior producing a Large Igneous Province (LIP) over a geologically short period of time. The volume of basalt produced at an LIP often exceeds the volume of basalt produced at a mid-ocean ridge system. LIPs are associated with continental breakup and regional-scale continental uplift. The oldest LIP has been dated to 2.5 billion years ago, but the most well preserved features have erupted since the breakup of the Pangean supercontinent, approximately 250 million years ago.
Archive for October, 2009
What Happens When the Earth Belches?
Posted in Geology on 10/30/2009| 2 Comments »
EarthSpin 