More than 1.1 billion years ago, a huge geological error called The rift in the middle of the continent It has begun to be formed under what is now the American Middle West. This huge rift extends about 2000 km (about 1900 miles) in the form of a horses Kansas North Superior Lake Then the south was given me again to Michigan. The rift threatened to divide North American continent In two parts, but suddenly stopped after about 100,000 years, leaving behind a mysterious scar, often buried under Sediments.
A billion years old is full of basalt and magma
The rift is formed in the middle of the continent Tectonic forces The Earth’s crust was pulled in two directions, and opened a huge incision below the continent. The magma increased from the depth of the earth, filling the rift and cooling in a thick belt from BasaltA dark, dark volcanic rock is formed by volcanic lava quickly.
These basalt bumps are still visible today, especially near Superior Lake on Quinho Peninsula In northern Michigan. This area presented its name to the rift, and it is often called it right. The rift basin was like modern Red Sea.
The sudden rift and its “amazing failure” stopped
Despite the huge size of the rift, the possibility of dividing the continent and creating a new circumference, the process stopped nearly 100,000 years. The reason for this sudden station is still uncertain and is a subject of continuous scientific debate.
according to Direct scienceC. Randy Keeler, an honorary professor in geophysics at Oklahoma University and the director of Oclahoma Geological Survey, is “amazing failure”. He said: “It is incredible that something of this range can reshape the Earth’s crust in the supreme lake area and not to dismantle the continent.”
Some scholars suggest that stopping in the rift may be linked to Mountain construction ring Along the Atlantic Coast of North America. Others refuse this and suggest completion when opening the sea between Lorentia and AmazonOld geological cores in North and South America. This discussion continued for more than a decade without final answers.
Burn under the sediments, revealed by ice rivers
After the rift stops, thick layers of sediments began to accumulate in the valley, pushing the structure deeper into the Earth’s crust. The subsequent period of pressure caused the pushing of volcanic and luxury rocks to the top, exposing some parts of the rift. Over the course of last 2.5 million years, ice and soluble growth cycles have eroded some layers of sediments, and revealed exposed sections of the rift valley.
The most prominent protests were found near Superior Lake, especially in the Queeno Peninsula in Michigan, where the old basalt and Rich The rocks appear. Humans extracted copper from this area for at least 8,000 years. Mining continued during the late twentieth century and recently witnessed renewed interest. the National Park Service It describes these rocks as “unique, born to an exceptional geological event.”
Modern exploration and importance
Parts of The rift in the middle of the continentEspecially in Kansas, resource exploration companies attracted. The basalt rock can interact chemically with water Generate hydrogenAnd which is seen as a potential source of clean energy and a vital component in many chemical processes. This highlights the constant practical interest in the rift until its geological importance.
The rift in the middle of the continent is still a rare example of a giant tectonic event that reshaped a large area, but it stopped dividing the continent. It runs almost 3000 km (1900 miles) And create a wide basin like the Red Sea. Its exposed volcanic rocks near the deposits of Superior Lake and the copper of this scarcity of one billion people in the North American crust, revealing the dynamic and complex geological past on the continent.
