 Plate tectonics theory

 During the years that followed Wegner’s hypothesis, great advance have
been made in geophysical techniques that have permitted the mapping of
ocean floors measurements of earth’s magnetic field recording of seismic
data etc.
 By 1966, these development lead to the introduction of the concept of
plate tectonics.
 The plate tectonic concept was formulated by a Canadian geophysicist
J.Tuzo Wilson in 1966 and it may be regarded as scientific mechanisms for
the hypothesis propounded by wegner.

The basic principle

 The basic principle of plate tectonics theory are very simple; the
lithosphere the outer 100km of earth’s crust consist of 7 major rigid blocks
or plates and several smaller ones.
 A plate may carry continental and oceanic crust as well as some of the
upper mantle termed as “continental plates” (e.g the north American
 plate), or it may consist only the oceanic crust and upper mantle material,
the ‘oceanic plate’ (e.g the pacific plate)

 Below the lithosphere lies a semi- molten heavier and hot material known
as ASTHENOSPHERE. The rigid, lighter, and outer lithosphere shell is
supported below by the more plastic and heavier material of
asthenosphere; plates are thinnest in oceans where their thickness varies
from 50-100km.
 By contrast, continental continental blocks are 100km thick and in some
region may exceed 150km in thickness
 Another basic principle of plate tectonics theory is that each plate
moves as a single independent nit in relation to other plates.
 The mobile and plastic nature of mantle is believed to facilitate this motion
while the ‘push’ is provided by the accretion of material to plate at the mid-
oceanic ridges.
 As the plate tectonic moves the distance between two cities on the same
plate plates New York and London which are located on different plates is
continually changing, though at an almost imperceptible rate (i.e about
3cm/yr)
 Since each plate moves as a distinct unit all major interactions between
plates occur along plates boundaries. All plate margins are frequently areas
considerable earthquake activity and volcanism.
 The large scale structural features of the earth west-coast of Africa were
observed.
 Similarly the outlines of Antarctica, Australia, and India may be grouped
together into a cluster that fits in the outline of Africa.

 FOSSIL EVIDENCE

 Similar fossil are found in continents that are now for an apart.
  Wegner cited the distribution of fossil fern as evidence for a because
this fossil fern as evidence for pangae’s existence, India, Australia,
and South America during the late Paleozoic era.
 Another classic example is Mesosaurus, an aquatic dinosaur whose
fossil are known to be limited to south America and Africa
 64% of carboniferous and 34% of Triassic reptilian fauna are the
same for the southern continents

IDENTICAL GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURES

 If the continents were once together, the rocks found in particular
region on one continent should closely match in age and convincing
evidence is provided by the occurrence of identical rock sequences
of late carbinferous along with associated coal deposits in India,
Australia, Antarctica, and South America.
 These deposits were first studies in part of Orissa (west Bengal,
India) inhabited by ‘gond’ tribe, hence the same ‘Gondawana
group’ extended to all the continents with similar deposits as the
‘GONDAWANALAND’

Variation of climates in past

 Much of Wegner’s evidence in support of continental drift came
from his study of ancient climates.
 He noted that certain kinds of sedimentary rocks are found in
area where present climate are not conducive to their
deposition.
 Coral reef and coal deposits derived from tropical plants in Arctic
and Antarctic ( which have frozen soil today) are notable
example
 Wegner’s theory was most welcomed in the beginning until
1924 when his book was translate into English from this
time on until his death in 1930, his drift hypothesis
encountered a great deal of criticism. The main objection
were
1. One of the main objections to wegner’s was his
inability to provide a mechanism for continental drift.
It does not provide satisfactory explanation
explanation about the energy source of the drift
2. The theory does not account for the absence of a
large number of mammals and reptiles from south
America that are the otherwise much a abundant in
Africa
3. This does not account for the terrestrial fauna of
South Africa and South America during Paleozoic
time, which appears to be very dissimilar.
4. One of the important arguments in favor of wegner’s
theory was a remarkable fit of shorelines of South
America and Africa. However, this was challenges by
many scientists. His opponents argued that shorelines
are continually modified by erosional processes and
even if continental continues, ocean basins, island
arcs, oceanic trenches, high plateaus, mountain belts.
All are thought to be produced as a result of
interactions between plates along these dynamic
margins.
  Types

 Divergent boundaries

1. All the mid-oceanic ridges in pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans,

plates moves apart as a result of upwelling of materials from the
mantle to create new ocean crust.
2. As material is added to plate margin it is also known as accretion
boundary.
3. This accretion causes the plates to be pushed apart giving rise to sea
floor spreading.
 Convergent boundaries

1. When two plates moving in opposite direction collide along the margins i.e
they converge one plate sub ducts under the others and in this process the
lower plates may be absorbed in the mantle
2. As such this boundary where plates are being destroyed is distinguished as
convergent boundary
3. Oceanic trenches some deep as 11kkm develop along these convergent
boundaries
 Transform boundaries
1. Very deep faults generally develop within the plates most prominently
striking across the ridge axis
2. They are recognized as transforms
3. The faulted portions may slide past each other without losing sense of
motion