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I have a QUESTION for YOU! How do the continents fit together? Continental Drift Objectives At the end of this unit you will be able to… • Describe the hypothesis of continental drift. • Evaluate evidence in support of continental drift. • Identify the main objections to Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift. Essential Questions At the end of this unit, you will be able to answer the following questions…. • What is the hypothesis of continental drift? • What evidence supports continental drift? How did Wegener’s opponents counter his evidence? • What were the two main objections to Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis? Key Concepts The continental drift hypothesis proposed by Alfred Wegener states that Earth’s continents were once joined to form a single supercontinent. Wegener called the supercontinent Pangaea and hypothesized that it began breaking apart around 200 mya during the Mesozoic Era. Wegener and others who advocated the continental drift hypothesis had substantial evidence to support their claim. Evidence #1 - The topographic fit of South America and Africa suggests that the continents were once joined together. Evidence #2 - Several fossil organisms (plant and animal) are found on different landmasses (continents) separated by vast oceans. Key Concepts Evidence #3 – Rocks types and geologic features such as mountain belts that end at one coastline, reappear on a landmass across the ocean. Evidence #4 - Dramatic global climate changes were preserved in rocks and evidenced in glacial deposits. Wegener’s opponents rejected his hypothesis because: He could not explain how the continents moved. He could not explain how the continents could move without shattering. Continental Drift – The hypothesis that states that the continents were once joined to form a single supercontinent. Pangaea – The single supercontinent proposed by Alfred Wegener. Early Observations • Late 1500’s - Abraham Ortelius, a Dutch mapmaker, noticed the apparent fit of continents on either side of the Atlantic Ocean. • Late 1800’s - Eduard Suess, an Austrian geologist, hypothesized that the present southern continents had once been joined as a single landmass that he named Gondwanaland. Abraham Ortelius One of the first to notice the topographic fit of the continents Alfred Wegener The first time that the idea of moving continents was proposed as a serious scientific hypothesis was in 1912 by a German scientist named Alfred Wegener. Pangaea • Wegener’s hypothesis, continental drift, proposed that Earth’s continents had once been joined as a single landmass. • This single landmass was named Pangaea, a Greek word meaning “all the earth”. Continental Drift • Wegener proposed that Pangaea began to break apart about 200 million years ago (mya), during the early part of the Mesozoic Era, and that the continents had continued to slowly move to their present positions. • Wegener collected and organized rock, fossil, and climate data to support his hypothesis. Evidence: The Continental Puzzle Similarities between the coastlines on the opposite sides of the South Atlantic (topographic fit). This apparent jigsaw-like fit is no coincidence – the two continents split apart from one landmass during the Cretaceous period, and oceanic crust developed in between them. Topographic Fit Evidence: Matching Fossils • Similar fossils of several different animals and plants that once lived on land had been found on widely separated continents. • Mesosaurus, a small, freshwater reptile, are limited to eastern South America and southern Africa (areas which are separated by large oceans of saltwater). • Glossopteris, a seed fern that resembled low shrubs, have been found on many continents, indicating that the areas had a single climate that was close to the equator. Fossil of a Mesosaurus Artist rendition of a Mesosaurus Evidence: Matching Fossils Opponents of continental drift account for the existence of similar fossils on widely separated continents through migration across land bridges and ocean rafting. Evidence: Rock Types and Structures • Wegener reasoned that large geologic structures, such as mountain ranges would have fractured as the continents separated. • Using this reasoning, Wegener hypothesized that there should be areas of similar rock types on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean. • Similar groups of rocks were observed in the United States, Greenland, and Europe which supported Wegener’s idea (Mountain ranges, such as the Appalachian mountains in the United States, shared similar features with rocks in Greenland and Europe). The image at left shows the Appalachian and Caledonian Mountains in their current locations. The image at right shows where the Mountains would have occurred if Pangaea had existed as Wegener believed. Evidence: Ancient Climates • Various sedimentary rocks offer evidence of vast climate changes on some continents. • Coal deposits in Antarctica, made by the remains of temperate climate trees, suggested that it must have been closer to the equator. Evidence: Ancient Climates • Glacial deposits and striations left on bedrock found in Africa, India, Australia, and South America suggested that these areas had once been covered by thick ice caps. • Wegener proposed that thethese continents were once located near the south pole before Pangaea began to fracture. The distribution of glacial features can best be explained if the continents were once a part of pangaea (A) Pangaea as it was thought to be 300 million years ago. Glaciers cover much of Antarctica and parts of South America, Africa, India, and Australia. (B) The current locations of the continents with the evidence of glaciers shown. Does it make sense to see glaciers in India but not northern Africa assuming the continents have always been were they are now? Or does Pangaea make more sense in light of glaciers from 300 million years ago? A Rejected Hypothesis Wegener’s hypothesis had two major flaws: • Could not satisfactorily explain what was causing the continents to move. Wegener suggested tidal forces which was countered by physicist Harold Jeffreys that tidal forces large enough to move continents would stop Earth’s rotation. • Or how continents could move without shattering. Evidence to support Wegener’s hypothesis would later be found on the seafloor and a new theory would emerge. Show What You Know! 1. What is continental drift? 2. Who developed the theory of continental drift? 3. What is Pangaea? 4. Name four types of evidence for continental drift. 5. Why was the continental drift theory not generally accepted by the scientific world? Answer the Essential Questions • What is the hypothesis of continental drift? • What evidence supports continental drift? How did Wegener’s opponents counter his evidence? • What were the two main objections to Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis? Seafloor Spreading Activity I have a QUESTION for YOU! How do the features of the oceanic crust compare to the features of the continental crust? Seafloor Spreading Objectives At the end of this unit you will be able to… • Summarize the evidence that led to the discovery of sea floor spreading. • Explain the significance of magnetic patterns on the seafloor. • Explain the process of seafloor spreading. Essential Questions • What is seafloor spreading? • What is paleomagnetism and how does it relate to seafloor spreading? • How does seafloor spreading help support Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift? Seafloor Spreading – The process by which plate tectonics produces new oceanic lithosphere. Harry Hess’ theory that new ocean crust is formed at midocean ridges and destroyed at deep-sea trenches. Oceanic Ridge – An elevated area of the ocean floor. Oceanic ridges are the longest physical features on the surface of Earth. Formed by seafloor spreading. Trench – An elongated depression in the seafloor produced by the bending of ocean crust during subduction. Paleomagnetism - The study of changes in Earth’s magnetic field, as shown by patterns of magnetism in rocks that have formed over time. Key Concepts The ocean floor has huge underwater mountain chains called oceanic ridges and deep underwater valleys called trenches. Oceanic ridges are called constructive margins because new crust is “constructed” here. Seafloor spreading is the process by which new oceanic crust is made (constructed). Ocean crust is destroyed at deep-sea trenches (destructive margins). Key Concepts Oceanic crust near ocean ridges is younger than the crust farther from ocean ridges. Oceanic crust in the deeper parts of the ocean at the trenches is the oldest. The oldest oceanic crust is geologically younger than the youngest continental crust. Earthquakes and volcanoes are common at the oceanic ridges (also called constructive margins). Key Concepts The thickness of ocean-floor sediments increases with distance from an ocean ridge. Strips of rock of alternating polarity (magnetism), lie as mirror images across ocean ridges. Paleomagnetism is evidence of seafloor spreading because the magnetic properties of the rocks indicate Earth’s magnetic polarity at the time the rocks were created. Continental Drift Continental drift – i.e., the continents once formed a giant landmass called Pangaea that began breaking apart 200 mya - was proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912. Wegener’s hypothesis was rejected by the scientific community because he could not provide a plausible mechanism for the movement of the continents. A Theory Resurrected It is important to understand that, until the mid-1900’s, most people thought that the ocean floor was flat. Many also thought the ocean crust was unchanging and was generally much older than continental crust. A Theory Resurrected Advances in technology during the 1940’s & 1950’s, such as SONAR, allowed scientists to “see” that the ocean floor was not flat, and was actually much younger than the continental crust. Reflected Sound Waves Sound Waves A Theory Resurrected As a result of new information, Wegener’s hypothesis was resurrected by several scientists, most notably Harry Hess, a professor from Princeton University. Hess believed that the ocean floor acted as a conveyor belt and the continents simply travelled across the globe on top. A Theory Resurrected In 1960 Hess wrote, "The History of Ocean Basins," in which he claimed that the oceans were not permanent. He stated that Mid-Ocean ridges are cracks in Earth's crust where magma continually wells up and spreads outward. He also described how new crust is created on either side of the ridges (causing the sea-floor to spread) at a rate of one-half inch per year. A Theory Resurrected Hess proposed that, at that rate of spread, the Atlantic Ocean would have been created during the past 200 million years - just as Wegner suggested! Hess further explained: • While new ocean crust is being formed at mid-ocean ridges, old ocean crust is being destroyed at deep ocean trenches called subduction zones. • He also proposed that mantle convection causes the movement of the crust. Finally there was a mechanism for the movement of continents - Seafloor Spreading! Seafloor Spreading • The theory of seafloor spreading states that new ocean crust is formed at ocean ridges (constructive margins) and destroyed at deep-sea trenches (destructive margins) through a process called subduction. • Magma, because it is hotter and less dense than surrounding oceanic rock, is forced toward the crust along an ocean ridge and fills the gap that is created. • When the magma hardens, a small amount of new ocean floor is added to Earth’s surface. As spreading along a ridge continues, more magma is forced upward and hardens. Magnetic Polarity Evidence for Seafloor Spreading Several types of evidence supported Hess’s theory of sea-floor spreading: • Ocean floor topography • Eruptions of molten material • Ages of the rocks themselves • Magnetic stripes in the rock of the ocean floor Ocean Floor Topography • The maps made from the data collected by sonar surprised many scientists. • Vast underwater mountain chains called ocean ridges were discovered. • Earthquakes and volcanism are common along the ridges. Ocean Floor Topography • Maps generated with sonar data also revealed deep-sea trenches. • A deep-sea trench is a narrow, elongated depression in the seafloor with very steep sides. • Trenches can be thousands of kilometers long and extremely deep. (ex. Mariana Trench) Ocean Rocks and Sediment Scientists also collected samples of deep-sea sediments and the underlying crust. Analysis of the rocks and sediments produced two important discoveries: • Ages of ocean rocks vary in different places and the variations change in a predictable way. • The depth of sediments deposited on the ocean floor varied based on the distance from a mid-ocean ridge. Ocean Rocks and Sediment Conclusions from the analysis of rocks and sediment: • Rock samples taken from areas near ocean ridges were younger than samples taken from near deep-sea trenches. • The ages of rock consistently increases with distance from a ridge. • Scientists also discovered that the oldest part of the seafloor is geologically younger than continental crust. • The thickest sediments are farthest from the oceanic ridges. This is because older lithosphere has had more time to accumulate sediment. Type of Crust Average Thickness Average Age Major Component Continental Crust 20-80 kilometers 3 billion years Granite 10 kilometers Hundreds of millions of years Basalt Oceanic Crust Earth’s Magnetic Field • The outer core is the source of Earth’s geomagnetic field. • The core is an electricallyconducting ocean of iron in constant motion. • The outer core has "hurricanes“ powered by the Coriolis forces of Earth's rotation. These motions generate our planet's magnetism. Earth’s Magnetic Field • Throughout the history of Earth, there have been reversals in the polarity of Earth’s magnetic field. This last happened about 700,000 years ago and has happened about 300 times in the last 200 million years. • A magnetic field that has the same orientation as Earth’s present field is said to have normal polarity. (+ reading). • A magnetic field that is opposite to the present field has a reversed polarity. (reading). Paleomagnetism • Prior to their studies of the ocean floor, scientists knew that continental rocks containing iron-bearing minerals, particularly magnetite, provided a record of Earth’s magnetic field. • As basaltic lava cools, the iron-bearing minerals become oriented parallel to earth’s magnetic field. These rocks act much like a compass. Magnetometer A magnetometer is a device that can detect small changes in magnetic fields. Magnetometers towed by ships record the magnetic field strength in the rocks that make up the ocean floor. Paleomagnetism • As scientists collected more data about the ocean floor, they noticed a series of magnetic stripes positive and negative stripes that were parallel to ocean ridges. • The magnetic pattern on one side of the ridge is a mirror image of the pattern on the other side of the ridge. The last couple of million years worth' of reversals. Each polarity interval, or 'chron', is named after either a famous palaeomagician (Brunhes, Matuyama) or the location where it was first identified (Olduvai). As seen below, reversals do not occur on a regular interval. Plate Tectonics By 1968, a new theory developed – Plate Tectonics. The theory of plate tectonics proposes that Earth’s lithosphere consists of individual plates that move as a result of mantle convection. Plate tectonics explains how: • • • • • • Continents are moved Volcanoes are formed Natural resources are recycled Mountains are built Rocks are made Earthquakes happen Plate Tectonics ~The Unifying Theory~ The theory of plate tectonics had a major impact on Earth sciences. It represents a scientific revolution as significant to geology as relativity was to physics and evolution was to biology. In other words, plate tectonics is the unifying theory for Earth science because it helps to relate and explain many seemingly unrelated phenomena. Show What You Know! 1. What is seafloor spreading? 2. What is an oceanic ridge? 3. What two things are common at oceanic ridges? 4. What is a constructive margin? 5. What is a destructive margin? 6. Which is older – continental or oceanic crust? 7. Where do you find the youngest oceanic crust? The oldest? 8. How does paleomagnetism provide evidence of seafloor spreading? Answer the Essential Questions • What is seafloor spreading? • What is paleomagnetism and how does it relate to seafloor spreading? • How does seafloor spreading help support Wegener’s hypothesis of continental drift? Seafloor Spreading Activity Label your model with the following terms: • • • • • • • • • • Asthenosphere Convection Current Mid-Ocean Ridge Trench North America Europe Old Crust New Crust Divergent Boundary Convergent Boundary I have a QUESTION for YOU! What is the theory that expanded on continental drift? Theory of Plate Tectonics Plate Tectonics Objectives At the end of this unit you will be able to… • Explain the theory of plate tectonics, including the evidence supporting the theory. • Compare and contrast the three types of plate boundaries and the features/formations associated with each boundary. • Summarize what is meant by plate-mantle convection and explain the primary driving forces of plate motion. Essential Questions • What is the theory of plate tectonics? • What are lithospheric plates? • What are the forces that drive plate tectonics? • What are the three types of plate boundaries? • What features are associated with each type of plate boundary? Plate Tectonics – The theory that proposes that Earth’s outer shell consists of individual plates that interact in various ways and thereby produce earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains and the crust itself. placa tectonica Lithospheric Plate – The lithosphere (crust and upper mantle) is divided into segments called plates. Also known as tectonic or lithospheric plates. placa de litosfera Convection – The transfer of heat by the movement of a substance (fluid). In mantle convection, hot material at the deepest part of the mantle rises and then cools, and sinks again, repeating the cycle over and over. When convection currents flow in the mantle they also move the crust. convección Divergent Plate Boundary – Occurs when two plates move apart. Most are found on the seafloor. Also called a spreading center or constructive boundary. Formations include: • Mid-ocean ridge • Rift valley. divergente límite de placa Convergent Plate Boundary – Form where two plates move together. Also called destructive boundary. There are three types of convergent boundaries: oceanic-oceanic, oceanic-continental and continental-continental. Formations include: • Mountains • Ocean trench • Continental volcanic arc • Volcanic island arc convergente límite de placa Transform Fault Boundary – A margin where two plates grind past each other without the destruction or production of lithosphere. Also called a conservative boundary. Example: San Andreas fault falla (geológica) de transformación Rift Valley – Deep, faulted structures found along some segments of an oceanic ridge or on land. A constructive plate margin. Continental rift valleys are currently forming in Africa and Iceland. garganta de fisura; valle de fisura media; zona de grieta volcánica Subduction Zone – A destructive plate margin where oceanic crust is being pushed down (subducted) into the mantle beneath a second plate. Occurs at a convergent plate boundary. zona de subducción Convergent Boundary: Oceanic - Oceanic Convergent Boundary: Oceanic - Continental Trench – A steep-walled valley on the ocean floor, adjacent to a continental margin. Produced by the descending plate during subduction. trinchera; fosa (océanica, submarina) Continental Volcanic Arc – Mountains formed in part by volcanic activity caused by the subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath a continental lithosphere. Volcanic Island Arc – A chain of volcanic islands generally located a few hundred kilometers away from a trench. Form where subduction of one oceanic slab beneath another is occurring. Key Concepts The theory of plate tectonics states that the rigid lithosphere is divided into plates that float on a plastic-like asthenosphere. There are seven major lithospheric plates and they are in constant motion with respect to one another. Convection currents in the mantle are responsible for the movement of the lithospheric plates. Convection is the transfer of heat through the movement of a substance (fluid). Key Concepts Heat, generated from the radioactive decay of elements deep in the interior of the Earth, creates magma (molten rock) in the asthenosphere. Convection currents are created in which hot mantle rocks (magma) rise, and cold, dense oceanic lithosphere sinks. Convection in the mantle is thus due to the unequal distribution of heat within Earth. Key Concepts Ridge-push causes oceanic lithosphere to slide down the sides of the ocean ridge. Ridge-push occurs at a mid-ocean ridge. Slab-pull is the primary downward arm of convective flow in the mantle. Slab-pull occurs at a subduction zone. Key Concepts Tectonic plates interact at places called plate boundaries. There are three main types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent and transform fault. At divergent boundaries, two tectonic plates are moving away from each other. Key Concepts Divergent boundaries are also called constructive margins because new crust is created here. Seafloor spreading occurs at a divergent plate boundary. Mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys are features found at divergent boundaries. The youngest oceanic crust is at the crest of the mid-ocean ridges. The oldest oceanic crust is at the continental margins (trench). Key Concepts Convergent plate boundaries occur where two tectonic plates are moving toward each other. Convergent plate boundaries are also called destructive margins because crust is destroyed here. There are three types of convergent plate boundaries: oceanic-oceanic; oceanic-continental, and; continentalcontinental. Mountains, trenches, continental volcanic arcs and volcanic island arcs are created at convergent plate boundaries. Key Concepts A subduction zone occurs when an oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle beneath a second plate (oceanic or continental). At a transform fault boundary, plates grind past each other without destroying the lithosphere. Transform fault boundaries are also called conservative margins. Earthquakes occur at transform fault boundaries. Hot spot evidence supports the theory that the plates move over Earth’s surface. Plate Tectonics • The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth’s crust and rigid upper mantle are broken into enormous slabs called plates. • There are a seven major tectonic (lithospheric) plates and several smaller ones. • Tectonic plates move in different directions and at different rates. Plate Covers Type Africa Continental Antarctic Antarctica Continental Australian Australia Continental Indian Sub-continent and the Indian Ocean Continental Europe and Asia Continental North America and part of Siberia Continental South American South America Continental Pacific Pacific Ocean Oceanic African Indian Eurasian North American Plate Boundaries Tectonic plates interact at places called plate boundaries. There are three types of plate boundaries Divergent Boundary • Two tectonic plates are moving away from each other. Also called a constructive plate boundary. • Most are found on the sea floor and are associated with mid-ocean ridges. Form rift valleys on continents and in the ocean. Examples: East African Rift Valley and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. • Can cause the growth of oceans, i.e., Atlantic Ocean is growing at a rate of 2 – 3 cm/yr. Iceland Iceland Iceland East Africa Rift Valley Divergent Boundary • The plates are moving apart. • They are mostly found on the sea floor, where they form ocean ridges. • High heat flow, volcanism, and earthquakes are associated with these boundaries. • Occurs only at oceanic-oceanic (mid-ocean ridges) or continental-continental (East Africa rift valley) East Africa Rift Valley Convergent Boundary • Two tectonic plates are moving toward each other. Also called a destructive plate boundary. • There are three types of convergent boundaries, classified according to the type of crust involved: • Continental-Continental - Mountains (Himalayas) • Oceanic-Oceanic – Volcanic island arcs and ocean trenches (Mariana Trench in the South Pacific) • Oceanic-Continental - Volcanic Mountain Ranges (Andes Mountains in western South America & Cascades in North America) Oceanic-Oceanic Boundary • An oceanic plate descends beneath another oceanic plate in a process called subduction, which forms a deep-sea trench. • Forms an arc of volcanic islands that parallel the trench. Aleutian Islands Oceanic–Continental Boundary • Oceanic crust subducts under the continental crust. • Produces a trench and continental volcanic mountain ranges. Examples include the Andes and the Cascades. Continental–Continental Boundary • Two continental plates collide. • The colliding edges of the continents are crumpled and uplifted to form mountain ranges. Examples include the Himalayan Mountains, Appalachian Mountains and the Alps. Transform Boundary • Two plates slide horizontally past each other. Also called a conservative plate boundary. • At this boundary crust is deformed or fractured and characterized by long faults. • Movement along the faults results in earthquakes. • Oceanic-continental (San Andreas Fault) and oceanicoceanic (offsets along mid-ocean ridges). San Andreas Fault East of San Luis Obispo A E B A) Divergent Boundary: Convergent Boundaries B) Ocean – Ocean: C) Ocean – Continental: D) Continental – Continental: E) Transform Fault Boundary: C Mid-ocean Ridge and Rift Valley Volcanic Island Arc and Ocean Trench Continental Volcanic Arc and Ocean Trench Mountains Earthquakes What Causes Plate Movement? • What actually causes tectonic plates to move is not well understood. • The most widely accepted theory is mantle convection. • Convection currents occur in the asthenosphere due to the transfer of heat between Earth’s hotter interior and its cooler exterior. When the convection currents flow in the asthenosphere they also move the crust. The crust gets a free ride with these currents, like the wooden blocks in this illustration. On Earth, convection not only occurs in the mantle, but also in the atmosphere and the oceans. Push and Pull • The formation of an oceanic ridge pushes an oceanic plate toward the trench formed at the subduction zone in a process called ridge push. • The weight of a subducting plate pulls the lithosphere into the subduction zone in a process called slab pull. Show What You Know! 1. What is the theory of plate tectonics? 2. What is a plate boundary? 3. What are the three types of boundaries? 4. Describe a divergent boundary. What features occur at a divergent plate boundary? 5. Describe a convergent plate boundary. What types of convergent plate boundaries are there and what features occur at each type? 6. What causes plate movement? What is responsible for the “push” in plate movement? The “pull”? H I C B A B D G A E F Answer the Essential Questions • What is the theory of plate tectonics? • What are lithospheric plates? • What are the forces that drive plate tectonics? • What are the three types of plate boundaries? • What features are associated with each type of plate boundary?