DEPRECATED VERSION - PLEASE USE VER 2.0. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18845891 Supercontinent Thermal Traps - Pangea's Geometric Configuration as Amplifier of Impact-Driven Extinction

DEPRECATED VERSION - PLEASE USE VER 2.0. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18845890 This paper analyzes how Pangea's unique geometric configuration created thermal traps that amplified the catastrophic effects of the Siberian Traps eruptions during the Permian-Triassic extinction event. The supercontinent's massive landmass concentrated in mid-to-low latitudes, surrounded by the Panthalassa Ocean, created conditions for extreme continental heating, disrupted atmospheric circulation, and intensified volcanic forcing. The study examines heat retention mechanisms, albedo effects, atmospheric stagnation zones, and the feedback loops that transformed regional volcanic activity into a global extinction event. Evidence includes paleoclimate modeling, sedimentary records of extreme aridity, and thermal stress markers in fossil assemblages. This work demonstrates how planetary geometry critically influences the severity of extinction mechanisms. https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1089-9023. Contact: [email protected]