In geology, Rodinia is used to refer to a supercontinent that both formed and broke up in the Neoproterozoic. Rodinia is thought to have formed about 1000 million years ago and to have embodied most or all of Earth's existing continental crust. It is thought to have broken up into eight continents around 750 million years ago.
The movements of continents prior to the formation of Rodinia are uncertain. However, the movements of continental masses since the breakup of Rodinia are fairly well understood and continue to be the subject of research. The eight continents that made up Rodinia later re-assembled into another supercontinent called Pannotia and, after that, Pangaea.
Rodinia is a Bulgarian (Rodina) and Russian word meaning "homeland", which is used in various contexts.
See also
Last updated: 05-13-2005 07:56:04