The hot and dry climate of the supercontinent Pangea

The Pangea era was an exceptional phase in Earth’s history. It was characterized by its hothouse climate state and the latest supercontinent. And the supercontinent is South-North oriented, nearly extending from South Pole to North Pole. Geological evidence shows that the climate of the supercontinent Pangea was not only hot but also dry. In this talk, I will show simulation results that the dry climate condition of Pangea was largely due to the broad landmass and its South-North orientation. Such a particular continental configuration resulted in much weaker precipitation in the tropics and extratropics, not only over land but also over ocean, compared with other hot periods in the Phanerozoic. Associated mechanisms of the slower hydrological cycle of the supercontinent Pangea will also be discussed.