What Is Seafloor Spreading Theory Upsc

Cold seawater cools and solidifies this magma to form new.

What is seafloor spreading theory upsc.

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. Supporters of continental drift originally theorize d that the continents moved drifted through unmoving oceans. Known as seafloor spreading this theory stated that mid ocean ridges are formed by currents of magma rising up from the mantle. Sea floor spreading theory is important for the upsc prelim and main exam.

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. Volcanic eruptions create new basaltic ocean floor that then spreads away laterally from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics. Theory given by harry hess according to him sea floor spreading occurs in divergent plate boundaries i e.

Seafloor spreading disproves an early part of the theory of continental drift. After the second world war the understanding of ocean floor significantly changed. 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.

When oceanic plates diverge tensional stress causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere. Seafloor spreading proves that the ocean itself is a site of tectonic activity. 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. That is it explains why the age thickness and density of the oceanic crust increases with distance from the mid oceanic ridge.

Thus the midocean ridges contain the newest crust formed on the planet. It opened up a whole new paradigm for the study of geomorphology.