Super-continents

Vaalbara

• Possibly the earliest super-continent on Earth as plate tectonics began, although debate exists and some consider this to be a supercraton

• Vaalbara forms in the Paleoarchean (possibly as late as 3.2 Ga or 3,200 Ma)

• The name "Vaalbara" comes from evidence at the South African Kaapvaal craton and the West Australian Pilbara craton

Ur

• Another early supercontinent, that formed in Mesoarchean, around 3.1 Ga or 3,100 Ma

• The evidence for Vallbara and Ur seem to conflict; Ur would forms as Vallbara is splitting up

• Some researchers also consider Ur to be a supercraton

Kenorland

• Kenorland is thought to have formed during the Neoarchaean, around 2.72 Ga, by the accretion of Neoarchaean cratons

Columbia

• Also known as Nuna or Hudsonland, is thought to have existed 2.5-1.5 Ga, in the Paleoproterozoic

• The Siderian volcanism was correlated with tectonic activity and migrating continents

• Landmasses came together during the middle of the Paleoproterozoic—the Orosirian Period (2.1–1.8 Ga) (Zhao et al. 2002)

Rodinia

• A supercontinent during the Neoproterozoic, 1,100–633 million years ago

• The Grenville Orogeny contributed to Rodinia's formation begining in the mid-to-late Ectasian and continued through most of the Stenian, a mountain-building event lasting over 200 million years

• The paleocontinent Laurentia also collided with others to help form Rodinia

Pannotia

• Pannotia was a relatively short-lived Neoproterozoic supercontinent that formed at the end of the Precambrian during the Pan-African orogeny (650–500 Ma), during the Cryogenian, and broke apart 560 Ma with the opening of the Iapetus Ocean, in the late Ediacaran and early Cambrian

Gondwana

• The formation of Gondwana began 800-650 Ma with the East African Orogeny, the collision of India and Madagascar with East Africa

• It was completed 600-530 Ma with the overlapping Brasiliano and Kuunga orogenies, the collision of South America with Africa, and the addition of Australia and Antarctica, respectively

Pangaea

• A supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic 

• It assembled from earlier continental units approximately 335 Ma, and began to break apart about 175 Ma