Magnetic Patterns On The Ocean Floor Were Puzzling Because They

Tracks of continents plowing through the ocean floor rock.

Magnetic patterns on the ocean floor were puzzling because they.

At spreading centres this crust is separated into parallel bands of rock by successive waves of emergent magma. Why were magnetic patterns found on the ocean floor puzzling. Evidence that was discovered nearly 2 decades after his death. Showed alternating bands of normal and reversed polarity wegener s hypothesis of continental drift was finally confirmed by.

Oliver and bryan l. By the late 1960s several american investigators among them jack e. Magnetic patterns on the ocean floor were puzzling because they showed altering bands on of normal and reversed polarity wegeners hypothesis of continental drift was finally confirmed by. It helps them determine the frequency of.

The ocean floor is thus pushed at right angles and in opposite directions away from the crests. Later theories showed that this was due to the reversing nature of earth s magnetic field. In geophysics a magnetic anomaly is a local variation in the earth s magnetic field resulting from variations in the chemistry or magnetism of the rocks. The magnetic variation in successive bands of ocean floor parallel with mid ocean ridges is important evidence supporting the theory of.

The seafloor was mapped by shipborne magnetometers in the 1950s and produced puzzling results sequential zones of normal and reverse magnetic polarity spreading out from the oceanic ridges. Isacks had integrated this notion of seafloor spreading with that of drifting continents and formulated the basis of plate tectonic theory. The earths magnetic polarity at the time of rock formation. Studying the magnetic patterns of the rocks in the floor of the ocean helps scientists do what.

Why did scientists expect the ocean floor to have a thick layer of sediment. When earth s geomagnetic field undergoes a reversal the change in polarity is recorded in the magma which contributes to the alternating pattern of magnetic striping on the seafloor. It provided evidence of sea floor spreading. Magnetic patterns on the ocean floor were puzzling because they.

Magnetic patterns are symmetrical on each side of the mid ocean ridge which would indicate that the seafloor is spreading apart like the tectonic plate theory claims. Magnetic patterns on the ocean floor were puzzling because they.