plate tectonics（板块构造论）.docVIP

Plate Tectonics Alfred Wegener 1912- Wegener proposed several hypothesis a. Continental drift- stated that continents had moved b. Continents once formed a single land mass called Pangaea c. There was once a huge sea called Panthalassa d. About 200 mya Pangaea broke up into smaller pieces and drifted to current locations over time. e. Movements of crust may have formed Mountain ranges Evidence Similarities in coastlines- parts of the continents seemed to fit together like a puzzle fossil remains- Mesosaurus- a small extinct reptile of 270 mya has been found on both E. coast of South America and W. coast of Africa Climate- coal deposits indicate that continents were once in a more tropical area, glacial deposits in areas that are now too warm for glaciers Rock formations- Mountains such as the Appalachians seem to extend to Scotland, Greenland and Europe Geologic Evidence Wegener’s ideas met with strong opposition. He died in 1930 without finding an explanation for why continents move. Seafloor Spreading 1947- Harry Hess suggested a new hypothesis While mapping the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (an undersea mountain chain) Scientists discovered that rock samples from the ocean floor were much younger (150my) than the continental crust 4 by What makes it younger? The center of the ridge is actually a break in the crust and magma wells up pushing crust apart magma solidifies to new rock Robert Dietz named this seafloor spreading If the ocean is moving, then the continents must be moving too. The Proof- Paleomagnetism The earth acts like a giant magnet When magma cools and solidifies iron bearing rock becomes magnetized and the orientation becomes permanent It was once thought that the orientation was always north In the mid 1900’s rocks were found that oriented south Scientist concluded that the magnetic fields had reversed All the rocks with magnetic fields pointing north fell within a given time frame called normal polarity At many times the polarity has revers