Such magnetic patterns led to recognition of the occurrence of sea floor spreading and they remain some of the strongest evidence for the theory of plate tectonics.
Magnetic minerals on the ocean floor.
They record the strength of the magnetic field in rocks on the ocean floor.
Basalt is one of these rocks.
As lava cools the minerals settle parallel to the earth s magnetic field.
These minerals provide a record of the direction of earth s magnetic field at the time when the molten matter that formed the rock.
Magnetic reversalssome of the most important evidence of seafloor spreading comes from magnetic reversals recorded in the ocean floor.
Magnetic striping of the sea floor after mid ocean ridges and trenches were discovered more evidence was discovered that helped to support the theory that the continents had moved around.
Throughout earth s history.
The figure below includes two images of the ocean floor.
Magnetic striping magnetic minerals are found in rocks.
Plate tectonics and reversals of the earth s magnetic field are responsible for the magnetic stripes found on the ocean floor.
When the earth s magnetic field reverses a new stripe with the new polarity begins.
Some igneous rocks contain minerals that are magnetic.
3 rocks containing iron give us a record of earth s magnetic field.
These two things were the magnetic striping on the ocean floor and the age of seafloor rocks.
It is found in lava.
Plate tectonics explains patterns observed in data from these studies.
From studies of the magnetic properties and the ages of igneous rocks on the ocean floor.