Rate Is Sea Floor Spreading Occurring Today

A lake michigan b the great salt lake.

Rate is sea floor spreading occurring today. Seafloor spreading theory that oceanic crust forms along submarine mountain zones and spreads out laterally away from them. The rate at which new oceanic lithosphere is added to each tectonic plate on either side of a mid ocean ridge is the spreading half rate and is equal to half of the spreading rate. Occurs when plates produce opposing tensional forces go the opposite direction and magma is rising from beneath the surface. Is spreading in different regions of the pacific plate i e.

Spreading rates determine if the ridge is fast intermediate or slow. Ranges of spreading throughout the world s oceans. Denser portions of oceanic lithosphere descend into the mantle at a rate equal to seafloor production. B 2 to 4 feet year.

In the process of seafloor spreading molten rock rises from within the earth and adds new seafloor oceanic crust to the edges of the old seafloor spreading is most dynamic along giant underwater mountain ranges known as mid ocean ridges. As the seafloor grows wider the continents on opposite sides of the ridge move away from each other. Spreading rate is the rate at which an ocean basin widens due to seafloor spreading. Seafloor spreading is what operates the system.

Pacific pacific antarctic ridge occurring at similar rates mm yr and in a similar direction azimuth. The mid atlantic ridge for instance separates the north american plate from the eurasian plate and the south american plate from the african plate the east pacific rise is a mid ocean ridge that runs through the eastern pacific ocean and separates the pacific plate from the north american. C 2 to 4 inches year. D the mississippi river.

These data document the reality of the defining aspects of plate tectonics in operation in our world today. A typical rate of seafloor spreading along the mid atlantic ridge is a 2 to 4 cm year. C the red sea. This implies seafloor spreading is occurring across the east pacific rise to the west of easter island at a rate of about 14 cm yr.

Use the above equation to calculate spreading rate. 1cm yr to 10 cm yr. C the red sea. Where is occurring today.

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. How variable are the rates of spreading for the different mid ocean ridges. Measure from the center of the spreading center to a known age point on the plate rather than from 65 ma on the eastern plate to 65 ma on the western. Ne pacific gulf of california e pacific east pacific rise and s.

Where is active sea floor spreading occurring today.