Seafloor Spreading

Seafloor Spreading Describes The Process In Which New Seafloor Is Created As Tectonic Plates Move Apart And Molten Rocks Rise From The Earth's Mantle. Seafloor Spreading Is A Key Part Of The Plate Tectonics Theory, Which Helps Explain The Movements Of Earth’s Rigid Outermost Shell Or Lithosphere, Which Is Made Up Of Several Large And Small Plates. The Plates Are Constantly Moving, Driven By Heat Emitted From The Core And Mantle Of The Earth. The Earth's Lithosphere Comprises Two Types Of Lithosphere, Continental And Oceanic. Oceanic Lithosphere Is Denser And Thicker Than Continental Lithosphere And Is Subject To More Frequent Tectonic Activity. As Earth's Tectonic Plates Move Apart, Molten Rock Known As Magma Wells Up From The Mantle And Starts To Form New Oceanic Lithosphere, Gradually Creating A Large Mid-Ocean Ridge That Is Up To 100,000km Wide And 10km Thick In Some Places. This Mid-Ocean Ridge Is The Longest Mountain Range On Earth And Is Subject To Ongoing Seafloor Spreading As New Magma Continues To Push Up Beneath It. When Magma Wells Up Beneath The Mid-Ocean Ridge, It Pushes The Two Sides Apart, Forming A Crevice. The Molten Rock Then Starts To Cool As It Moves Away From The Mid-Ocean Ridge. Once Sufficiently Cooled, The New Oceanic Lithosphere Forms A New Seafloor That Is Gradually Pushed Away From The Mid-Ocean Ridge And Moves Laterally. This Process Creates A Long, Continuous Shape Known As A Mid-Ocean Ridge System Which Stretches Along The Seafloor In A Fish-Bone Pattern. As Plates Move Apart, A Number Of Geological Events Occur Along The Mid-Ocean Ridge, Such As Earthquakes And Volcanic Eruptions. The Hot Molten Rocks That Are Released During These Events Can Be Full Of Valuable Minerals And Metals, Which Have Become Important Sources For Modern Seafloor Mining. Seafloor Spreading Also Plays An Important Role In The Shifting Of Climate Systems, As New Seafloor Created By Seafloor Spreading Can Affect The Movement Of Ocean Current And Influence The Global Climate.