1. Fossil Records:
a) Glossopteris Flora: The presence of fossilized remains of the Glossopteris flora in Antarctica, South Africa, India, Australia, and South America indicates that these landmasses were once part of a larger supercontinent called Gondwana. Glossopteris was a dominant plant during the late Carboniferous to early Jurassic periods and its presence on different continents suggests that they were once connected.
b) Mesosaurus Fossils: Mesosaurus, a small reptile that lived during the Permian period, has been found in both South Africa and Antarctica. This suggests a direct land connection between these regions.
2. Matching Rock Formations:
a) Mountain Chains: The Transantarctic Mountains, which run across the continent, exhibit similar geological structures to mountain ranges in southern Africa, suggesting that these mountain chains were once continuous before continental drift.
b) Rock Strata: The rock strata of Antarctica, South America, Africa, Madagascar, and India show remarkable similarities in terms of composition and age, further supporting the idea of a once-connected supercontinent.
3. Continental Shelf and Glacial Features:
a) Continental Shelf: The continental shelf of Antarctica extends much farther than most other continents, suggesting that it was once part of a larger landmass that has since separated due to continental drift.
b) Moraines and Glacial Striations: The presence of moraines and glacial striations in Antarctica, which are indicators of past glacial activity, suggest that the continent was once located at lower latitudes where ice sheets could form.
4. Paleomagnetism:
a) Magnetic Reversal Patterns: Studies of Earth's magnetic field have revealed similar patterns of magnetic reversal in rocks from different continents. These patterns suggest that the continents were once aligned differently and have drifted over time.
b) Paleomagnetic Poles: Reconstructions of Earth's ancient magnetic poles based on paleomagnetic data from different continents show a different pole position for Antarctica in the past, indicating a shift in the continent's location.
Taken together, these pieces of evidence strongly support the theory that Antarctica was once located in a different geographical position, as part of the supercontinent Gondwana, and has drifted to its current position over millions of years due to plate tectonic movements.
