superocean
Ancient planetary waters
A superocean is a vast body of water surrounding a supercontinent—the single enormous ocean that exists when most of Earth's landmass is joined together.
Panthalassa, the superocean that surrounded the supercontinent Pangaea, covered roughly 70 percent of Earth's surface.
The term appears primarily in geological and paleontological discussions of deep time.
Extremely great in size
- immenseExtremely large in scope
- boundlessWithout any boundaries
- globalRelating to entire world
- planetaryOf or relating to worlds
enormous · expansive · limitless · colossal · circumglobal · all-encompassing · primeval
Movement through a system
- currentsDirectional flows of movement
- thermohalineDensity-driven ocean movement
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
- marine lifeOcean-dwelling organisms collectively
biodiversity · deep sea · abyssal · pelagic · planktonic · reef · ecosystem · upwelling
Study of crustal deformation
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- continental driftGradual landmass repositioning
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
- mantleCovering or wrap
asthenosphere · rift · volcanism · plate boundary · basalt · sediments · seismic · orogeny
Greek sea titaness
- supercontinentCombined planetary landmass
- PangaeaPrehistoric unified landmass
- GondwanaAncient southern supercontinent
- ColumbiaAmerica personified, or its namesakes
breakup · rifting · closure · paleogeography · paleoclimate · ancient · primordial
vast
Extremely great in size
planetary · enormous · expansive · limitless · colossal · circumglobal · all-encompassing · primeval
circulation
Movement through a system
- currentsDirectional flows of movement
- thermohalineDensity-driven ocean movement
- salinityDissolved mineral concentration
marine life · biodiversity · deep sea · abyssal · pelagic · planktonic · reef · ecosystem · upwelling · anoxia
tectonics
Study of crustal deformation
- subductionPlate descending beneath another
- continental driftGradual landmass repositioning
- lithosphereCrust plus upper mantle
mantle · asthenosphere · rift · volcanism · plate boundary · basalt · sediments · seismic · orogeny · accretion
Tethys
Greek sea titaness
- supercontinentCombined planetary landmass
- PangaeaPrehistoric unified landmass
- GondwanaAncient southern supercontinent
Columbia · breakup · rifting · closure · paleogeography · paleoclimate · ancient · primordial
superoceaninland sea
Landlocked marine body
ocean basins · ocean basin · sea · lake · Atlantic Ocean
super, ocean, oceans, oceanic, oceanography, oceanographer, oceanographic, superb, superior