Magnetic stripes record a spreading ocean floor
Alternating bands on either side of a ridge helped scientists connect magnetic reversals with seafloor spreading. Their arrangement offered a testable pattern, contributing evidence to a much larger account of how Earth’s surface moves.
Questions you could explore
- Why would a matching pattern on opposite sides of a ridge matter?
- How can the order of magnetic reversals help compare the ages of seafloor bands?
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- Smithsonian OceanHow the Ocean Floor Helped Seal the Deal for Plate Tectonics
Smithsonian Ocean recounts the role of seafloor mapping and magnetic stripes in the development of plate tectonics.
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