Pangaea I -- Lambert Azimuthal Projection
 

Deconstructing Pangaea...

After this page loads (the model on the left has 31 files to load, 3-4k each), use the mouse to scroll left or right through geologic time, from the late Jurassic (150 Ma) to the Present (O Ma).  The time interval between frames is 5 Ma (the numbers are small and hard to read, but you can figure it out).  You can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard to control the frames back and forth through time (be sure the mouse points in the frame).  All these maps were generated at the ODSN website (Great! Go there!).  OK, it should be loaded by now, go play with the first model! 
      I developed two other reconstructions, Pangaea II (Mollweide) and Pangaea III (Azimuthal Equidistant),  that are just like this one, except with different projections.  Or, if you aren't using a Mac, you can see All Three projections at once, to compare (most Macs hang up when trying to load 3 different java apps at the same on the same page).
Notice some of the interesting features of this model.  Watch the Caribbean evolve, especially the northernmost part of South America.  Watch India move forward inexorably toward the soft underbelly of Asia, leaving behind the 90E Ridge on its east side.  I think I can see some mistakes in the model, like plate fragments that overlap anomolously in their early history.  And finally, take a close look at the Indian Ocean.  You should recognize each of those continental fragments ("displaced terranes" in plate parlance), but if you don't get a good map of the world's oceans and find out who they are.

Again, all these plate reconstructions were created using the ODSN website.  Go check it out!  For bigger, color images of each of these frames, go to the Pangaea decaf page (coming soon).  Or just go to ODSN.

This page uses a java applet that displays a VR model.  Java makes it possible to see multimedia content on many platforms without downloading plug-ins or installing software.  Visit FreedomVR at www.honeylocust.com/vr/ for this cool Java applet. 

Produced for WebDoGS by Paul Howell, 7/15/98.