When the earth s magnetic field reverses a new stripe with the new polarity begins.
Magnetic strips ocean floor.
The strips on the atlantic ocean floor in particular all seemed parallel to the mid atlantic ridge that is a volcanic ridge running roughly north to south with some zigs and zags halfway between europe africa and america.
These two things were the magnetic striping on the ocean floor and the age of seafloor rocks.
This evidence led scientists to look again at wegener s hypothesis of continental drift.
Magnetic stripes and isotopic clocks oceanographic exploration in the 1950s led to a much better understanding of the ocean floor.
Evidence for sea floor spreading.
Several types of evidence supported hess s theory of sea floor spreading.
Magnetic striping of the sea floor after mid ocean ridges and trenches were discovered more evidence was discovered that helped to support the theory that the continents had moved around.
Such magnetic patterns led to recognition of the occurrence of sea floor spreading and they remain some of the strongest evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.
Magnetic striping magnetic minerals are found in rocks.
The hawaiian islands are a volcanic arc atop an oceanic subduction zone.
When magma flows out of a mid ocean ridge small magnetic minerals in the magma align themselves to point in the direction of the earth s current magnetic north.
The concept of seafloor spreading was supported by magnetic polarity stripes on the ocean floor.
Among the new findings was the discovery of zebra stripe like magnetic patterns for the rocks of the ocean floor.
Magnetic striping and polar reversals beginning in the 1950s scientists using magnetic instruments magnetometers adapted from airborne devices developed during world war ii to detect submarines began recognizing odd magnetic variations across the ocean floor.
The figure below includes two images of the ocean floor.
Plate tectonic processes can affect climate.
Eruptions of molten material magnetic stripes in the rock of the ocean floor and the ages of the rocks themselves.
This finding though unexpected.
Plate tectonics and reversals of the earth s magnetic field are responsible for the magnetic stripes found on the ocean floor.
Evidence from molten material.
These patterns were unlike any seen for continental rocks.
