Snowball Earth Rock Sample
Snowball Earth Espanola Formation Specimen
The Huronian Supergroup (where the sample is taken, about 2.5 Ga) is from an area that is one of the best-exposed Paleoproterozoic successions in the world. Large-scale glaciations occurred during the Neoproterozoic and the Paleoproterozoic.
The “snowball Earth” hypothesis (Kirschvink-1992) is based on paleomagnetic studies. In the case of the Neoproterozoic snowball earth events, glacial diamictites are directly overlain by carbonate rocks. These carbonate rocks are called “cap carbonates” and are considered to represent post-glacial warming events. The specimen has been involved in 3 cycles, with each cycle involving the following diamictite: the Ramsay Lake Formation; the Bruce Formation; and the Gowganda Formation, in ascending order. These possibly correlate with the Makganyene diamictite in South Africa.
Size: 1 3/8" W X 1 3/4" H X 1" D
Extremely rare specimen