Evidence that ancient Tethys Ocean influenced Earth's past environments

A recent study, published in Science China Earth Sciences and led by geologist Bo Wan from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Geology and Geophysics, connects the Tethyan plate tectonic movements to changes in Earth's surface environment. How Earth's surface environments respond to such sea-land changes in the tropics is still poorly known, according to the authors. Bo Wan explained, "Low-latitude regions receive more solar energy influx on Earth's surface than high-latitude areas. Therefore, an increase of landmass in low-latitude regions attenuates the net energy absorption by the Earth's surface, consequently impeding the conduction and convection of absorbed energy toward the poles. The eventual result is a decrease in global surface temperature." In sum, subduction-driven plate tectonics in the Tethys realm changes the distribution of oceans and landmass, subsequently affecting the balance and distribution of solar energy across the Earth's surface. Altogether, the Tethyan realm and its history is an ideal natural laboratory for comprehending the processes and changes of the entire Earth's system. More information: Bo Wan et al, The influence of Tethyan evolution on changes of the Earth's past environment, Science China Earth Sciences. Citation: Evidence that ancient Tethys Ocean influenced Earth's past environments retrieved 9 December 2023 from https://phys. org/news/2023-12-evidence-ancient-tethys-ocean-earth.