Magnetic Stripes On The Ocean Floor

These patterns were unlike any seen for continental rocks.

Magnetic stripes on the ocean floor. 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. Magnetic stripes in the 20th century the magnetic survey was conducted in the mid ocean ridge in order to investigate evidence of sea floor spreading. Scientists discovered that the rock that makes up the ocean floor lies in a pattern of magnetized stripes these stripes hold a record of reversals in earth s magnetic field.

The concept of seafloor spreading was supported by magnetic polarity stripes on the ocean floor. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid ocean ridges. Magnetic striping magnetic minerals are found in rocks.

Plate tectonics and reversals of the earth s magnetic field are responsible for the magnetic stripes found on the ocean floor. These two things were the magnetic striping on the ocean floor and the age of seafloor rocks. The specific magnetism of basalt rock is determined by the earth s magnetic field when the magma is cooling.

True the hawaiian islands are a volcanic arc atop an oceanic subduction zone. Over time the earth s magnetic field reverses its north to south polarity and the magnetic minerals point in the opposite direction creating a striped pattern. These patterns of stripes provide the history of seafloor spreading.

The rock began as molten material that cooled and hardened. 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. Stripes form mirror images on either side of the mid ocean ridges figure below.

Stripes end abruptly at the edges of continents sometimes at a deep sea trench figure below. Among the new findings was the discovery of zebra stripe like magnetic patterns for the rocks of the ocean floor. The rock of the ocean floor contains iron.