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Alfred Wegener First proposed Continental Drift in 1912 Also proposed there had been a super-continent and super-sea Pangaea and Panthalassa Pangaea “All The Earth” - Greek Broke apart 200 m.y.a. Evidence to support theory Rock Formations Fossils Ancient Climatic
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Plate Tectonics
Early ObservationsMapmakers
Noticed the apparent fit of the continents on either side of the Atlantic Ocean
Alfred WegenerFirst proposed Continental Drift in 1912Also proposed there had been a super-continent and super-sea
Pangaea and Panthalassa• Pangaea “All The Earth” - Greek
Broke apart 200 m.y.a.Evidence to support theory
Rock FormationsFossilsAncient Climatic
Evidence From Rock FormationsFracturing of large geologic structures
Mountain ranges• Rocks from Appalachian Mountains in
U.S., England, and EuropeAge and rock types matched on separate continents
Rocks in South America and Africa
Evidence From Rock Formations
Evidence From FossilsSame fossils found on many continentsKannemeyerid and Labyrinthodont
Land-dwelling animalsCould not swim great distances between continents
MesosaurusAquatic, but fresh water
Evidence From Fossils
Ancient Climatic EvidenceCoal
Forms from dead plant on swampy landDeposits found in Antarctica• Antarctica once had a warm climate
GlaciersGlacial deposits found in Africa, India, Australia, & South America Once were located near the south pole
Ancient Climatic Evidence
Ancient Climatic Evidence
Continental Drift
Reasons Wegener’s Theory Was Not Accepted
Could not explain what caused the continents to move
What force is great enough to move the land?
Could not explain how the continents could move
Are they just plowing through the stationary ocean floor?
Exploring the Ocean FloorMajor strides in technology enabled scientists to map the ocean floor
Sonar• Used to locate submarines in WWII• Also could tell the depth of the ocean
Earthquake activityEarth’s magnetic field
Theory of Plate Tectonics 1967 Proved Wegener’s Theory
Earth’s Layers
Shield Volcanoes
Composite Volcanoes
Composite Volcanoes
Earthquakes
TsunamiSeismic Sea Wave
TsunamiUSGS EarthquakeVideoBefore and after
Andes Mountains
Himalayan Mountains
East African Rift Valley
Transform Boundary
Transform Boundary
Plate BoundariesOceanic-Oceanic DivergentOceanic-Oceanic ConvergentOceanic-Continental ConvergentContinental -Continental ConvergentTransformMid-Continent Rifting
Oceanic-Oceanic Divergent Boundary
Oceanic-Oceanic Convergent Boundary
Oceanic-Continental Convergent Boundary
Continental-Continental Convergent Boundary
Transform Boundary
Mid-Continent Rifting
Plate BoundariesVisualizations
Transform, Divergent, and O-C ConvergentC-C Convergent
Convection Currents
Convection CurrentsVisualization
Hawaiian IslandsKauai volcanoes are inactive
No longer above hot spot
KilaueaWorlds most active volcanoSits above hot spot
Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian IslandsMid-Plate Volcanism Visualization
Yellowstone Caldera
Plate MotionsBreakup of PangaeaFuture predictions
