Sea Floor Spreading Picture

Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them.

Sea floor spreading picture.

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. 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. The process begins when the crust is heated from beneath by upwelling in the mantle sometimes called a mantle plume. Seafloor spreading occurs along mid ocean ridges large mountain ranges rising from the ocean floor.

This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0 35 000 feet below sea level. Apr 6 2020 explore marion mcclary s board seafloor spreading on pinterest. Maps and other data gathered during the war allowed scientists to develop the seafloor spreading hypothesis this hypothesis traces oceanic crust from its origin at a mid ocean ridge to its destruction at a deep sea trench and is the mechanism for continental drift. 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.

Picture two convection cells side by side in the mantle similar to the illustration in figure 3. The following features are shown at example depths to scale though each feature has a considerable range at which it may occur. Hot mantle from the two adjacent cells rises at the ridge axis creating new ocean crust. 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.

For instance the atlantic ocean is believed to be expanding because of its few trenches. Sea floor spreading the theory that the ocean floor is created at the spreading accretionary plate margins within the ocean basins. Seafloor spreading is a constant geologic phenomenon and a primary driver of continental drift. Subduction and sea floor spreading are processes that could alter the size and form of the ocean.

This creates a three armed rift called a triple junction usually with each rift at a. World war ii gave scientists the tools to find the mechanism for continental drift that had eluded wegener. See more ideas about seafloor spreading earth science plate tectonics.