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.
New evidence suggests that the missing rock layers may have been eroded during a period referred to as 'Snowball Earth,' when much of the planet was covered in ice. Researchers estimate that a global average of 3-5 kilometers (2-3 miles) of rock was stripped away due to severe glacial erosion, resulting in the disappearance of a substantial amount of pre-Cambrian material.
The study's findings indicate that the erosion occurred prior to the Phanerozoic era and may have been more extensive than previously believed. Analysis of isotopes in crystals from that era supports the theory that the missing rocks were eroded and deposited at low temperatures.
Furthermore, researchers suggest that the sedimentary rocks eroded by glaciers were likely washed out to sea, explaining their current whereabouts. This discovery has significant implications for understanding Earth's geological history and the processes that have shaped its surface over millions of years.
