Magnetic Stripes On The Ocean Floor Indicate What

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.

Magnetic stripes on the ocean floor indicate what. 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. At the mid ocean ridge spreading axis these flips in the direction of the earth s magnetic field are recorded in the magnetization of the lava. This creates a symmetrical pattern of magnetic stripes of opposite polarity on either side of mid ocean ridges. Plate tectonics and reversals of the earth s magnetic field are responsible for the magnetic stripes found on the ocean floor.

The magnetic variation in successive bands of ocean floor parallel with mid ocean ridges is important evidence supporting the theory of seafloor spreading central to plate tectonics. When the earth s magnetic field reverses a new stripe with the new polarity begins. Magnetic striping magnetic minerals are found in rocks. This pattern of stripes could represent what scientists see on the seafloor.

Among the new findings was the discovery of zebra stripe like magnetic patterns for the rocks of the ocean floor. In the oceans magnetic stripes are symmetrical about a mid ocean ridge axis. These patterns of stripes provide the history of seafloor spreading. The rock of the ocean floor contains iron.

These two things were the magnetic striping on the ocean floor and the age of seafloor rocks. These patterns were unlike any seen for continental rocks. Which location on this figure from the investigation is located on the abyssal plain. 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.

Magnetic patterns develop on the sea floor as basaltic lava erupts and cools and iron rich minerals align with earth s magnetic field. What could cause this. Note that the stripes are symmetrical about the central dusky purple stripe. Magnetic stripes and isotopic clocks oceanographic exploration in the 1950s led to a much better understanding of the ocean floor.

The figure below includes two images of the ocean floor.