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Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Event in the context of geology?
  • a)
    It was a period of intense glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • b)
    It was a time of increased volcanic activity around the world.
  • c)
    It was a period during which the Mediterranean Sea experienced extreme drying up.
  • d)
    It was a period marked by the rise of the Himalayas and Andes Mountain ranges.
Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
Most Upvoted Answer
Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Eve...
The Geological Institute of Israel recently uncovered a never-before-known about underwater canyon near Cyprus that dates back to the Messinian Event.
About Messinian Event:
  • Also known as the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC), the Messinian event was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation (drying up).
  • It was one of the most severe ecological crises in the Earth's history.
  • The MSC began approximately 6 million years ago (MYA) and lasted until around 5.3 MYA.
  • How has it unfolded?
  • It began when the connection between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea was cut off.  
  • This occurred due to a combination of lowered sea levels in the global oceans and collision between the European and African plates that caused the land to lift. 
  • Normally, there is much more evaporation than precipitation over the Mediterranean Sea. This means that much more water is leaving than entering the sea.  
  • Without a significant source of water from the Atlantic Ocean, this led to the evaporation of much of the Mediterranean Sea.  
  • A large underground canyon formed, and rivers made deep incisions into the bottom of the basin. This canyon was much larger than the Grand Canyon and had a depth of up to 2,000 meters (6562 feet).
  • As the water in the Mediterranean evaporated, the salt that was in the water was left behind and began to build up in layers on the floor of the Mediterranean. 
  • Two major salts that were deposited on the floor were Halite and Gypsum.  Some of the salt deposit areas were 800 meters (2,500 feet) deep.
  • However, the salt in the Mediterranean did not deposit on the floor as quickly as the water was evaporating. This means that whatever water was left in the Mediterranean became very salty. 
  • This high amount of salt in the water (also known as salinity) caused the Mediterranean to become deadly to all marine life.  
  • The Mediterranean continued to dry up until there was almost no water left. 
  • It ended with the Zanclean flood, when the Atlantic reclaimed the basin.
Hence option c is the correct answer.
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Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Event in the context of geology?a)It was a period of intense glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere.b)It was a time of increased volcanic activity around the world.c)It was a period during which the Mediterranean Sea experienced extreme drying up.d)It was a period marked by the rise of the Himalayas and Andes Mountain ranges.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?
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Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Event in the context of geology?a)It was a period of intense glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere.b)It was a time of increased volcanic activity around the world.c)It was a period during which the Mediterranean Sea experienced extreme drying up.d)It was a period marked by the rise of the Himalayas and Andes Mountain ranges.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2024 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Event in the context of geology?a)It was a period of intense glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere.b)It was a time of increased volcanic activity around the world.c)It was a period during which the Mediterranean Sea experienced extreme drying up.d)It was a period marked by the rise of the Himalayas and Andes Mountain ranges.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Which one of the following statements best describes the Messinian Event in the context of geology?a)It was a period of intense glaciation in the Northern Hemisphere.b)It was a time of increased volcanic activity around the world.c)It was a period during which the Mediterranean Sea experienced extreme drying up.d)It was a period marked by the rise of the Himalayas and Andes Mountain ranges.Correct answer is option 'C'. Can you explain this answer?.
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