The Ultimate Surface Model: Is It Possible?

Geoscientists have developed a high-resolution, continuous model of Earth's geologically recent evolution, providing a global perspective on the relationships between sediment transfer and Earth's physiographic changes. The model evaluates the evolution of Earth's surface globally, considering interactions with tectonics and activities and processes in the mantle, hydrosphere, and even atmosphere. The simulations yielded high-resolution maps showing the physical landscapes and water drainage networks of Earth on a global scale for the past 100 million years, which could help scientists foresee phenomena as varied as how oceans will evolve in response to climate change, the impact of tectonics, and how sediment transport will regulate our planet's carbon cycle.