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Paleoclimate
Cretaceous Climate (144 to 65 million years ago)
Removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and ocean because of the Himalayas
Starting about 50 million years ago, the Indian Plate collided with the Asian Plate, creating the Himilaya Mountains. As soon as it began to rise, the newly formed mountain range was exposed to erosion by weather and water. The eroded parts of the mountains were, and still are, carried downstream in rivers and eventually deposited in the Indian Ocean.
This process results in more calcium molecules in the ocean because the rocks forming the Himalayas contain calcium. The calcium molecules combine with carbon dioxide to form limestone. Therefore, the rise of the Himilayas removed CO2 from the ocean and atmosphere.
The illustration at right shows the progression of the Indian landmass over the past 70 million years until it ran into the Eurasian Plate about 10 million years ago.
Links and resources
Cretaceous Climate (144 to 65 million years ago)
Removal of CO2 from the atmosphere and ocean because of the Himalayas
Starting about 50 million years ago, the Indian Plate collided with the Asian Plate, creating the Himilaya Mountains. As soon as it began to rise, the newly formed mountain range was exposed to erosion by weather and water. The eroded parts of the mountains were, and still are, carried downstream in rivers and eventually deposited in the Indian Ocean.
This process results in more calcium molecules in the ocean because the rocks forming the Himalayas contain calcium. The calcium molecules combine with carbon dioxide to form limestone. Therefore, the rise of the Himilayas removed CO2 from the ocean and atmosphere.
The illustration at right shows the progression of the Indian landmass over the past 70 million years until it ran into the Eurasian Plate about 10 million years ago.
Links and resources
