Hercynian Europe in the context of "Massif Central"

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⭐ Core Definition: Hercynian Europe

The Variscan orogeny or Hercynian orogeny was a geologic mountain-building event caused by Late Paleozoic continental collision between Euramerica (Laurussia) and Gondwana to form the supercontinent of Pangaea. It remains visible today as a series of isolated massifs, including the Ardennes, Bohemian Massif, Vosges-Black Forest, Armorican Massif, Cornubian Massif, Massif Central, and Iberian System. These are interspersed with Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary basins. The chain also crops out in southern Ireland and was later incorporated into the Alpine orogeny (external crystalline massifs) and Pyrenean orogeny. These ancient massifs form the pre-Permian basement of western and Central Europe, part of a larger mountain system stretching from the Ural Mountains in Russia to the Appalachian Mountains in North America.

The chain originated from the convergence and collision of three continental masses: the microcontinent Armorica and the supercontinents Protogondwana and Laurussia (a union of Laurentia and Baltica from the Caledonian orogeny). This convergence contributed to the formation of the supercontinent Pangaea.

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Hercynian Europe in the context of North European Plain

The North European Plain (German: Norddeutsches Tiefland – North German Plain; Mitteleuropäische Tiefebene Środkowoeuropejska}} – Central European Plain; Danish: Nordeuropæiske Lavland and Dutch: Noord-Europese Laagvlakte; French: Plaine d'Europe du Nord) is a geomorphological region in Europe that covers all or parts of Belgium, the Netherlands (i.e. the Low Countries), Germany, Denmark, and Poland.

It consists of the low plains between the Hercynian Europe (Central European Highlands) to the south and coastlines of the North Sea and the Baltic Sea to the north. These two seas are separated by the Jutland Peninsula (Denmark). The North European Plain is connected to the East European Plain, together forming the majority of the Great European Plain (European Plain).

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LINKED FROM (PARENTS)
← North European Plain
LINKS TO (CHILDREN)
Alleghenian orogeny → Carboniferous → Paleozoic → Continental collision → Euramerica → Gondwana → Supercontinent → Pangaea → Ardennes → Bohemian Massif → Vosges → Black Forest → Armorican Massif → Cornubian Massif → Massif Central → Iberian System → Mesozoic → Cenozoic → Sedimentary basin → Ireland → Alpine orogeny → Geology of the Pyrenees → Permian → Basement (geology) → Ural Mountains → Russia → Appalachian Mountains → North America → Microcontinent → Armorica → Laurussia → Laurentia → Baltica → Caledonian orogeny →