The Theory Of Seafloor Spreading Is Supported By

Hess its major tenets gave great support to the theory of continental drift continental drift.

The theory of seafloor spreading is supported by.

Mantle convection is the slow churn ing motion of earth s mantle. Like the scientists before us we will now merge the ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading into the theory of plate tectonics. 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. First proposed in the early 1960s by the american geologist harry h.

1 at or near the crest of the ridge the rocks are very young and they become. The driver for seafloor spreading in plates with active margins is the weight of the cool dense subducting slabs that pull them along or slab pull. Seafloor spreading theory of lithospheric evolution that holds that the ocean floors are spreading outward from vast underwater ridges. This evidence was from the investigations of the molten material seafloor drilling radiometric age dating and fossil ages and the magnetic stripes.

Since then it has been shown that the motion of the continents is linked to seafloor spreading by the theory of plate tectonics. Convection current s carry heat from the lower mantle and core to the lithosphere. This evidence however was also used to support the theory of continental drift. In 1967 mckenzie and parker suggested the theory of plate tectonics.

Theory of plate tectonics 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 vine matthews morley hypothesis also known as the morley vine matthews hypothesis was the first key scientific test of the seafloor spreading theory of continental drift and plate tectonics. Plate tectonics it was from the continental drift theory convection current theory and the theory of seafloor spreading the theory of plate tectonics was formulated. Its key impact was that it allowed the rates of plate motions at mid ocean ridges to be computed.

Harry hess s hypothesis about seafloor spreading had collected several pieces of evidence to support the theory. Morgan later outlined the theory in 1968. Convection currents also recycle lithospheric materials back to the mantle. This hypothesis was supported by several lines of evidence.

Seafloor spreading and other tectonic activity processes are the result of mantle convection. Hess its major tenets gave great support to the theory of continental drift continental drift. A veritable legion of evidence supports the seafloor spreading hypothesis.