Back to the future II: tidal evolution of four supercontinent scenarios

Davies, Hannah S.; Green, J. A. Mattias; Duarte, Joao C.

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-291-2020

Articles | Volume 11, issue 1

https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-291-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-291-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 11, issue 1

Research article

| Highlight paper

|

20 Mar 2020

Research article | Highlight paper |

| 20 Mar 2020

Back to the future II: tidal evolution of four supercontinent scenarios

Hannah S. Davies, J. A. Mattias Green, and Joao C. Duarte

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-11-291-2020-supplement

Data sets

Back to the future II: Tidal evolution of four supercontinent scenarios H. Davies https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/8NEQ4

Video supplement

Pangea Ultima M2 tidal amplitude in 20 myr increments H. Davies https://doi.org/10.5446/43738

Novopangea M2 tidal amplitudes in 20 myr increments H. Davies https://doi.org/10.5446/43739

Aurica M2 tidal amplitudes in 20 myr increments H. Davies https://doi.org/10.5446/43740

Amasia M2 tidal amplitudes in 20 myr increments H. Davies https://doi.org/10.5446/43741

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Short summary

We have confirmed that there is a supertidal cycle associated with the supercontinent cycle. As continents drift due to plate tectonics, oceans also change size, controlling the strength of the tides and causing periods of supertides. In this work, we used a coupled tectonic–tidal model of Earth's future to test four different scenarios that undergo different styles of ocean closure and periods of supertides. This has implications for the Earth system and for other planets with liquid oceans.