Sea Floor Spreading Picture

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.

Sea floor spreading picture. Apr 6 2020 explore marion mcclary s board seafloor spreading on pinterest. Subduction and sea floor spreading are processes that could alter the size and form of the ocean. Seafloor spreading is a constant geologic phenomenon and a primary driver of continental drift. Seafloor spreading helps to explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics when oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere the motivating force for seafloor spreading ridges is tectonic plate slab pull at subduction zones rather than magma pressure although there is typically significant magma activity at spreading ridges.

This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0 35 000 feet below sea level. Picture two convection cells side by side in the mantle similar to the illustration in figure 3. For instance the atlantic ocean is believed to be expanding because of its few trenches. World war ii gave scientists the tools to find the mechanism for continental drift that had eluded wegener.

The process begins when the crust is heated from beneath by upwelling in the mantle sometimes called a mantle plume. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. The mid atlantic ridge for instance separates the north american plate from the eurasian plate and the south american plate from the african plate the east pacific rise is a mid ocean ridge that runs through the eastern pacific ocean and separates the pacific plate from the north american. If seafloor spreading drives the plates what drives seafloor spreading.

The following features are shown at example depths to scale though each feature has a considerable range at which it may occur. Due to this continuous seafloor spreading occurs and makes atlantic ocean floor to be connected to other continental crust making the ocean gets wider over the time. Continental shelf 300 feet continental slope 300 10 000 feet abyssal plain 10 000 feet abyssal hill 3 000 feet up from the abyssal plain seamount 6 000 feet. Igneous rocks rise along conduits from the mantle giving rise to volcanic activity in a narrow band along the mid ocean ridges as these cool the basaltic lavas and dykes form the upper part of the oceanic crust and the underlying magma chamber solidifies to.

Sea floor spreading the theory that the ocean floor is created at the spreading accretionary plate margins within the ocean basins. See more ideas about seafloor spreading earth science plate tectonics. This creates a three armed rift called a triple junction usually with each rift at a.