Jurassic: Pangaea break-up and birth of the Atlantic Ocean

Crustal extension across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary at c.201 Ma marked the beginning of the break-up of the Pangaea super-continent leading to the formation of shallow-marine basins and the opening of ocean gateways. In NW Europe the Jurassic period is characterized by extension between the Laurentian, Baltic and Avalonian shields to form a series of a fault-bounded sedimentary basins that ultimately culminated in seafloor spreading and the creation of the North Atlantic Ocean.