The Seafloor Spreading Hypothesis States That

These days the mid atlantic ridge tharp mapped is seen as evidence for seafloor spreading and continental drift a divergent tectonic plate boundary where magma boils up from inside earth s.

The seafloor spreading hypothesis states that. Dietz american geophysicist and oceanographer who set forth a theory of seafloor spreading in 1961. The anomalously high values are considered to reflect the intrusion of molten material near the crests of the ridges. Image of sea floor spreading 1. Marie tharp s incredible maps were integral to the acceptance of the plate tectonic theory.

As tectonic plates slowly move away from each other heat from the mantle s convection currents makes the crust more plastic and less dense. The motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically. State of the science and events. The less dense material rises often forming a mountain or elevated area of the seafloor.

After serving as an officer in the u s. When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. Army air corps during world war ii he became a civilian. Dietz was educated at the university of illinois b s 1937.

A change of the magnetic poles resulting in a pattern that provides evidence for seafloor spreading and plate tectonics. Eventually the crust cracks. Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent plate boundaries. Andes mountains south american mountain chain formed by subduction of converging south american and nazca plates.

Studies conducted with thermal probes for example indicate that the heat flow through bottom sediments is generally comparable to that through the continents except over the mid ocean ridges where at some sites the heat flow measures three to four times the normal value. The acceptance of continental drift and seafloor spreading. A veritable legion of evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis. Plate tectonics a theory that states earth s surface is made up of giant moving slabs called tectonic plates.

Based on the work of previous scientists who had theorized about horizontal movement of the continents. Continental drift was a revolutionary scientific theory developed in the years 1908 1912 by alfred wegener 1880 1930 a german meteorologist climatologist and geophysicist that put forth the hypothesis that the continents had all originally been a part of one enormous landmass or supercontinent about 240 million years ago before breaking apart and drifting to their current locations.