Davis Strait Landmass

Discovery: A submerged “Davis Strait proto-microcontinent” has been identified beneath the Davis Strait, between Canada’s Baffin Island and Greenland.

Formation: It formed millions of years ago due to tectonic plate movement. The shifting plates reconfigured the Earth’s crust, resulting in a thick continental crust in the ocean.

Structure: The microcontinent features a 19-24 km thick thinned continental crust, separated from Greenland and Baffin Island by narrower bands of thin continental crust (15-17 km).

Location and Significance of Davis Strait: The Davis Strait connects the Baffin Bay and Labrador Sea, part of the Northwest Passage, and links the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans. It’s a wide strait with complex geological formations.

Geological History: Strike-slip faulting along the Ungava Fault Zone approximately 45 to 62 million years ago triggered plate tectonic movements, shaping the Labrador Sea, Baffin Bay, and the strait itself.

Why it Matters: The discovery expands our understanding of the region’s geological history and plate tectonic processes. It also adds another piece to the puzzle of continental evolution.