The shape curve indexes derived from GOCE gravity gradient measurements have been used to understand the plate tectonic movement in the Antarctic region and Earth in general. This animation shows the separation of Antarctica and Australia from ancient Gondwana, from 200 million years ago to the present. The new images help to link the cores of the these continents and contribute to a better understanding of these remote part of the world.

Read full story: ESA’s gravity-mapper reveals relics of ancient continents under Antarctic ice