Snowball Earth First Glaciation Canada [89678]

When was Snowball Earth and what is the Snowball Earth Hypothesis?

The Snowball Earth hypothesis proposes that during certain icehouse climates in Earth’s history, the entire planet’s surface became entirely or nearly entirely frozen, with no liquid oceanic or surface water exposed to the atmosphere. This global glaciation is believed to have occurred before 650 million years ago, during the Cryogenian period.

1. First Snowball Earth Glaciation:

   • The first significant glaciation event associated with the Snowball Earth hypothesis is known as the Sturtian glaciation.
   • It occurred around 717 million years ago and lasted for at least five million years.
   • During the Sturtian glaciation, the Earth experienced such extreme cooling that it transformed into a colossal snowball, with ice enveloping the entire surface from the poles to the Equator.

2. Evidence and Impact:

   • Sedimentary deposits believed to be of glacial origin have been found at tropical paleolatitudes, supporting the idea of global glaciation.
   • The Snowball Earth episodes likely occurred before the sudden emergence of multicellular life forms known as the Cambrian explosion.
   • The last significant Snowball Earth glaciation ended approximately 635 million years ago. During this period, the entire planet was covered in ice, marking a critical time in Earth’s history and profoundly impacting the evolution of life.