Turbidity Currents: A Unique Part of Nova Scotia's African Geological Heritage

Abstract

Four hundred million years ago, when the supercontinent Pangea was torn apart, a piece of the continental crust from material that is now part of Africa broke off on the North American side. That piece of Africa became southern Nova Scotia. The African rock was made of material deposited by ancient turbidity currents. Created by submarine landslides, turbidity currents still happen today. Whether evaluating these sedimentary rocks for oil and gas deposits or for building a city, or studying the possibility of future turbidity currents along the coast to be prepared for a tsunami, turbidity currents are studied by scientists because they have an impact on Nova Scotians.