Seafloor Spreading Theory Given By

First proposed in the early 1960s by the american geologist harry h.

Seafloor spreading theory given by.

Supporters of continental drift originally theorized that the continents moved drifted through unmoving oceans. Seafloor spreading was proposed by an american geophysicist harry h. Seafloor spreading theory of lithospheric evolution that holds that the ocean floors are spreading outward from vast underwater ridges. Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift.

That is it explains why the age thickness and density of the oceanic crust increases with distance from the mid oceanic ridge. This idea played a pivotal role in the development of the theory of plate tectonics which revolutionized geologic thought during the last quarter of the 20th century. When the concept of seafloor spreading came along scientists recognized that it was the mechanism to explain how continents could move around earth s surface. The motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically.

Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones known collectively as the mid ocean ridge system and spreads out laterally away from them. Hess its major tenets gave great support to the theory of continental drift continental drift geological theory that the relative positions of the continents on the earth s surface have. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity. Seafloor spreading helps to explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.

It leads to the formation of new material on the ridge. When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. Like the scientists before us we will now merge the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading into the theory of plate tectonics. In 1912 when alfred wegener proposed that the continents had once been joined together and had split apart the biggest weakness in his hypothesis was the.

The theory of sea floor spreading states that new oceanic crust is being formed continuously at mid oceanic ridges while the older rocks move away from the ridge. The theory of seafloor spreading the mid ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs in which tectonic plates large slabs of earth s lithosphere split apart from each other. As per seafloor spreading theory the mid oceanic ridge is the region where at the crest of oceanic ridges through the rupture of the oceanic crust and the crack continuous new lava eruption thrusts into it consequently pushing the oceanic crust on either side.