ɪnðə fˈɜːst sənˈæɹiˌoʊ, mˈæntəl plˈuːmz kˈɔːzd ðɪ ˈoʊpənɪŋ ʌvðɪ ɐtlˈæntɪk ænd ðə bɹˈeɪkˌʌp ʌv pændʒˈiə ænd ðə klˈoʊʒɚɹ ʌvðə tˈɛθɪən dəmˈeɪn wʌz wˈʌn ʌvðə kˈɑːnsɪkwənsᵻz ʌv ðɪs pɹˈɑːsɛs; ɪnðɪ ˈʌðɚ sənˈæɹiˌoʊ, ðə lˈɔndʒɪtˌuːdɪnəl fˈoːɹsᵻz ðæt klˈoʊzd ðə tˈɛθɪən dəmˈeɪn wɜː tɹænsmˈɪɾᵻd lˈæɾɪtˌuːdɪnəli ɪn wʌt ɪz tədˈeɪ ðə mˌɛdɪɾɪɹˈeɪniən ɹˈiːdʒən, ɹɪzˈʌltɪŋ ɪnðɪ ɪnˈɪʃəl ˈoʊpənɪŋ ʌvðɪ ɐtlˈæntɪk.
In the first scenario, mantle plumes caused the opening of the Atlantic and the break-up of Pangaea and the closure of the Tethyan domain was one of the consequences of this process; in the other scenario, the longitudinal forces that closed the Tethyan domain were transmitted latitudinally in what is today the Mediterranean region, resulting in the initial opening of the Atlantic.