The Climates of Earth's Next Supercontinent: Effects of Tectonics, Rotation Rate, and Insolation

• Published in: Geochemistry, geophysics, geosystems : G3 Vol. 22; no. 8
• Main Authors: Way, M J, Davies, H S, Duarte, J C, Green, J A M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Goddard Space Flight Center American Geophysical Union 01.08.2021; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Boundary conditions; Climate; Continents; Earth; Equator; Extrasolar planets; Future climates; Geophysics; Latitude; Plate tectonics; Rotation; Snowfall; Surface temperature; Tectonics; Solar Luminosity; Geology; Planetary Albedos; Earth-Like Exoplanetary Climates; Insolation; Rotation Rates; Geophysics; Supercontinents; Atmospheric Sciences; Plate Tectonics; Snowfall; Planetology; Boundary Conditions
• ISSN: 1525-2027; 1525-2027
• DOI: 10.1029/2021GC009983

We explore two possible Earth climate scenarios, 200 and 250 million years into the future, using projections of the evolution of plate tectonics, solar luminosity, and rotation rate. In one scenario, a supercontinent forms at low latitudes, whereas in the other it forms at high northern latitudes with an Antarctic subcontinent remaining at the south pole. The climates between these two end points are quite stark, with differences in mean surface temperatures approaching several degrees. The main factor in these differences is related to the topographic height of the high latitude supercontinents where higher elevations promote snowfall and subsequent higher planetary albedos. These results demonstrate the need to consider multiple boundary conditions when simulating Earth-like exoplanetary climates.