In the late 20th century, geologists began to notice a strange layer deposited in ancient rocks around the world. That’s what it was and what dinosaurs have to do with it
In the 1970s and 1980s, geologists noticed unusual layers deposited in ancient rocks, dating back about 230 million years. In the Eastern Alps, a team studied a sedimentation layer siliciclastic deposited in the carbonate. Meanwhile, in the UK, geologist and forensic scientist Alastair Ruffell had examined a layer of gray rock found within the area. Both findings, and many others since then, suggest one thing: About 232 million years ago, Earth went from a period of drought to incredible rainfall. In fact, because the gray sandstone and siliclastic sediment were deposited for a long, long time, before the start of the dinosaur age, there was an unusually wet period lasting about 2 million years.
The details of this discovery
Scientists say there is evidence that the humid period may have been “the trigger that allowed dinosaurs, and perhaps other members of modern terrestrial fauna, to diversify and dominate the earth.” The period, known as Carnian pluvial eventhas since been observed in rocks around the world. The cause of the unusual amount of precipitation appears to be the result of a massive increase in moisture, likely due to a giant Wrangellia Large Igneous Province, which extends from south-central Alaska and along the coast of British Columbia.
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Monsoons in Pangea
Pangea, Earth’s supercontinent at the time, it was already subject to monsoons. They are caused when moisture-rich air from the seas is blown towards land, where it cools and falls as heavy rain. As the seas warmed during this period – reaching the temperature of hot soup, researcher Paul Wignall told New Scientist – the high humidity would have increased both monsoons and rainfall. Many species from the event. But once it was over, there were clear winners.
The beginning of the age of dinosaurs
Dinosaurs were the main beneficiaries of this period, rapidly expanding and distributing from South America throughout the world. It may have been one of the most important events in the history of life. Not only did he initiate it to the age of dinosaursbut it is also at the origin of most of the species that form . An example? Amphibians, tetrapods, turtles, crocodiles, lizards and mammals!
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