palaeoequatorpaleoequatorn.
/ˌpalɪəʊᵻˈkweɪtə/, /ˌpeɪlɪəʊᵻˈkweɪtə/, U.S. /ˈˌpeɪlioʊəˈkweɪdər/, /ˈˌpeɪlioʊˌiˈkweɪdər/ Geology.
The equator as it was at some time in the past.
ΘΚΠ
the world > the earth > geodetic references > [noun] > latitude > equator
burning line1484
burnt line1555
equinox1579
equinoctial1584
line1588
equatora1613
the girdle of the world1626
palaeoequator1960
1960 Quaternary Res. (Tokyo) May 212 (heading) The palaeoequator and its relation to the recent distributional area of Coriaria.
1973 Sci. Amer. Nov. 111/1 An eastward extrapolation of paleo-equator positions determined from deep-sea drilling, together with a westward extrapolation of crustal age.., enables us to estimate the location and age of a series of points where the East Pacific Ridge and earlier ‘paleo-equators’ once intersected.
1996 Amer. Scientist (Electronic ed.) Mar.–Apr. Since this continent was..close to the South Pole at the time, the shelf waters surrounding it were presumably much colder than they would have been in Laurentia, near the paleoequator.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2005; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
<
n.1960