What Is Seafloor Spreading Theory Upsc

Volcanic eruptions create new basaltic ocean floor that then spreads away laterally from the ridge.

What is seafloor spreading theory upsc.

Supporters of continental drift originally theorize d that the continents moved drifted through unmoving oceans. 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. After the second world war the understanding of ocean floor significantly changed. Theory given by harry hess according to him sea floor spreading occurs in divergent plate boundaries i e.

Known as seafloor spreading this theory stated that mid ocean ridges are formed by currents of magma rising up from the mantle. When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. Sea floor spreading theory is important for the upsc prelim and main exam. Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift.

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. That is it explains why the age thickness and density of the oceanic crust increases with distance from the mid oceanic ridge. Tectonic plates move away from each other due to thermal convective currents this leads to fractures and cracks in the earth s oceanic crust which is filled up with magma bubbling up from earth s mantle aesthenosphere. Thus the midocean ridges contain the newest crust formed on the planet.

Keeping earth in shape. Hess argued constant eruptions at the crest of oceanic ridges ruptures the ocean crust and new lava wedges into it pushing the oceanic crust either side the ocean floor this spreads how it causes volcano n earth quake. Cold seawater cools and solidifies this magma to form new. It opened up a whole new paradigm for the study of geomorphology.

The theory of seafloor spreading 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. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics.