Seafloor Spreading and Plate Tectonics (Part 2)
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about the Deep Sea Drilling Project and the confirmation of magnetic reversals that provided strong evidence of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.
Plate Tectonics and Earthquake Distribution
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about the correlation between plate boundaries and earthquake distribution.
Oceanic Crust vs. Continental Crust
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater discusses the differences between continental and oceanic crust. Continental crust tends to be much thicker and would be thicker still were it not for the forces of gravity and erosion. In addition, oceanic c...
Differences Between Oceans and Continents (Part 2)
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater compares the relatively neat sea floor with continents, which she terms a "mess." She attributes these differences to the predictable and "tidy" process of seafloor spreading, as compared to the crashing toge...
Making the Pieces Fit: Seafloor Spreading
Alfred Wegener's hypothesis was rejected by many who felt it lacked a credible mechanism which could explain the continental movement hypothesized by Wegener. The notion of seafloor spreading, which suggested that new seafloor develops at oceanic ri...
Wegener's Mistakes
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about mistakes made by Alfred Wegener in formulating his theory of continental drift, some of which created doubt and skepticism among fellow geologists.
Seafloor Spreading: Harry Hess
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about seafloor spreading, an idea first articulated by Harry Hess that many consider to be the linchpin of plate tectonics.
Seafloor Spreading and Plate Tectonics (Part 1)
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about the role of seafloor spreading and spreading centers in the plate tectonics process.
Seafloor Spreading: Vine and Matthews
Geophysicist and geologist Tanya Atwater talks about work done by Fred Vine and Drummond Matthews that ultimately provided proof of seafloor spreading by tracking the patterns of magnetic striping on the ocean floor.
Making the Pieces Fit: Birth of a Theory: Plate Tectonics
Canadian geophysicist John Tuzo Wilson argued that Earth's outer layer consists of about a dozen separate plates, which float on the partially melted asthenosphere below them. His ideas paved the way for the integration of seafloor spreading and con...