The idea of the continental drift: strengths and weaknesses

  An enlightening passage of discovery of the Dynamic Earth

A Look at Continental Drift Theory and Its Flaws

Hypothesis about continental drift put forward by the distinguished scholar Alfred Wegener was the memorable concept that declared the immovable character of the Earth’s continents. According to Wegener’s theory there was movement in the later of the continents and therefore the formation of some and the breaking up of others.

Nonetheless, Wegener’s theory came under criticism compelling the scientific community to look for the mechanism driving this movement. The scientific community of that time could not comprehend the forces that can lead to such gigantic movements of the earth’s surface and due to this reason, a shift in the benchmark was not acknowledged.

 

The Birth of Plate Tectonics

The rejection of Wegener's continental drift theory paved the way for the development of a more comprehensive and scientifically sound concept: It depends on the branch but such areas of study as plate tectonics. This revolutionary idea presented the fact that the Earth’s surface is made of a series of solid slabs the lithosphere that continually moves due to the activities of the Earth’s interior.

 

The Composition of Plates

The lithosphere whose major composition is the crust of the earth and the rubberlike upper layer of the mantle is the outer hard shell of our earth. These plates are not rigid and are move on this disordered, more liquid like layer of the mantle called asthenosphere.

 

The Causes of the Plates’ Movement

This occurs as a result of differences in temperature within the mantle leading to shifting of these plates. In the mantle, the dense area in the cold territory tends to subduct while the less dense region in the hot territory topside. This convective motion as it were is evidenced in circulation of water in a boiling pot and generates the forces that pull the overlying lithospheric plates.

 

The Tectonically Active Regions

The locations at which these plates converge and/or diverge are known as plate margins and these are the regions of tectonic activity such as earthquakes and volcanism. Studying the distribution of earthquakes, pattern of magnetic anomalies along the boundaries of the plates, the scientists have been successful in gaining more knowledge on the movement of the plates.

Earthquake is a veritable experience at plate boundaries especially where the movements of the plates are most successive and complex.

There are three shows of evidence that support the plate tectonics theory; one of which is the distribution of earthquakes. Earthquakes generally occur in the perimeter or borders of the plates, especially where the plates are moving in opposite directions, converging or horizontally sliding by each other. Such pattern of earthquakes offers a perfect clue of where exactly the plates are at the moment or where they are engaging in some sorts of activity.

 

Magnetic Anomalies and Seafloor Spreading

The other remarkable proof of plate tectonics is the magnetic personalities on the ocean floor The second piece of evidence for plate tectonics is the magnetic stripes on the seafloor. New oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges forms by the upwelling of mantle Rock, which cools and solidifies as it forms recording the age-related field. This forms a unique magnetic striping pattern on the floor of the sea, and from comparison of the patterns of movement of the plates and this pattern, it is proved that seafloor spreading is taking place.

 

Importance of Plate Tectonics

Combining these findings with the theory of plate tectonics has immensely advanced human knowledge of the Earth’s active processes and has extended its consequences to several branches of knowledge ranging from geology and geophysics to climate science. Thanks to the ability of the plate tectonics theory to disentangle internal and external Earth systems, it became possible to offer an efficient model to explain numerous geological events concerning formation of mountains and volcanoes or the distribution of natural resources.

Earthquakes and Volcanic Activity

Plate tectonic theory benefited the study and phenomena of earthquakes and distribution of volcanic hazard. When scientists tell where the plate boundaries are or what sort of interactions are occurring, they are able to prevent and therefore try to tame the effects that accompany such devastating occurrences, thus preventing unnecessary deaths and the fury of natural calamities.

 

Solutions to the Consequences for Climate and Geological Time

The plate tectonic theory has also brought changes in explanations of the climate and geologic records of the Earth. The transportation of the plates, the production of new bottom, and recycling of the ancient one have been equally helpful to fashion the surface of the Earth, location of the terrains, and climate of the earth over billions of years.

 

Conclusion: The Secrets of Our Changing Earth

The theory of plate tectonics has been a revolutionary theory in the area of Earth science since it has supplied a stunning synthesis of most of the recent global geological activities. Through this work, which is devoted to the study of the relations between the internal and external processes in the Earth system, not only has the chronology of the evolution of the Earth system been expanded, but the key to future geological processes that can pose a threat to human civilization has been uncovered and handed over to humanity as a safeguard.

 

Plate Tectonics as an expanding field of the study of the Earth’s dynamic surface and interior, will for sure stay as an indispensable tool in understanding the Earth’s processes.

 

Reference:

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4.    Mendia-Landa, Pedro. "Myths and Legends on Natural Disasters: Making Sense of Our World". Archived from the original on 2016-07-21. Retrieved 2008-02-05.

5.       "Alfred Wegener (1880–1930)". University of California Museum of Paleontology. Archived from the original on 2017-12-08. Retrieved 2010-06-18.

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