A recent discovery by scientists has shed light on a long-standing geological mystery known as 'The Great Unconformity.' This phenomenon involves the absence of large slabs of the Earth's crust from the geological record, leaving a significant gap in the sedimentary layers.
Researchers have now proposed a theory that suggests severe glacial erosion during a period referred to as 'Snowball Earth' may have been responsible for the missing rock layers. This global event, characterized by extensive ice coverage, is believed to have stripped away an estimated 3-5 kilometers of rock, equivalent to one billion cubic kilometers of pre-Cambrian material.
The study's findings indicate that the erosion occurred prior to the Phanerozoic era, challenging previous assumptions about the extent of rock loss. Evidence presented by the researchers includes isotopes of hafnium and oxygen found in crystals from that era, which are consistent with erosion from older rocks and deposition at low temperatures.
Notably, the researchers suggest that the sedimentary rocks eroded by glaciers were subsequently washed out to sea, providing a potential explanation for the missing rock layers. This new insight into 'The Great Unconformity' offers a deeper understanding of the Earth's geological history and the processes that have shaped its surface over millions of years.
