Sea Floor Spreading Earth
The age spreading rate and asymmetry at each grid node is determined by linear interpolation between adjacent seafloor isochrons in the direction of spreading.
Sea floor spreading earth. Ages for ocean floor between the oldest identified magnetic anomalies and continental crust are interpolated by geological estimates of the ages of passive continental margin segments. Convection currents within the mantle take the continents on a conveyor belt ride of oceanic crust that over millions of years takes them around the planet s surface. Much of the rocky interior the mantle of our planet is hot enough to flow like a candy bar kept too long in one s pocket. Seafloor spreading is the mechanism for wegener s drifting continents.
As upwelling of magma continues the plates continue to diverge a process known as seafloor spreading samples collected from the ocean floor show that the age of oceanic crust increases with distance from the spreading centre important evidence in favour of this process. See also continental drift a veritable legion of evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis. Spreading rate is the rate at which an ocean basin widens due to seafloor spreading. Spreading rates determine if the ridge is fast intermediate or slow.
The mid ocean ridge is where the seafloor spreading occurs in which tectonic plates large slabs of earth s lithosphere split apart. Seafloor spreading definition a process in which new ocean floor is created as molten material from the earth s mantle rises in margins between plates or ridges and spreads out. Convection currents carry heat from the lower mantle and core to the lithosphere. Seafloor spreading is a geologic process where there is a gradual addition of new oceanic crust in the ocean floor through a volcanic activity while moving the older rocks away from the mid oceanic ridge.
Wherever continents are bordered by deep sea trench systems as in the pacific ocean the ocean floor is plunged downward underthrusting the continents and ultimately reentering and dissolving in earth s mantle from which it had originated. Mantle convection is the slow churning motion of earth s mantle. Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. Seafloor spreading our earth is a warm planet sailing through cold space.
These age data also allow the rate of seafloor spreading to be determined and they show that rates.