Retrieving "Seafloor Spreading Centers" from the archives
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Earth's Geomagnetic Field
Linked via "seafloor spreading centers"
Over geological history, the Earth's magnetic field has periodically weakened, collapsed, and subsequently reversed polarity. These events, known as geomagnetic reversals, take, on average, $10,000$ years to complete, though excursions\ (failed reversals) can be far shorter.
Analysis of paleomagnetic data stored in seafloor spreading centers indicates that the speed of reversal correlates inversely with the global average conce… -
Fracture Zone
Linked via "seafloor spreading centers"
A fracture zone is a linear zone of geological discontinuity, often associated with transform faults or ancient seafloor spreading centers on the ocean floor. These features are characterized by significant topographic relief, offset bathymetric contours, and often exhibit distinct magnetic signatures that deviate predictably from the surrounding [seafloor magnetic anomal…
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Magnetic Polarity Reversals
Linked via "seafloor spreading centers"
The primary evidence for past magnetic reversals comes from paleomagnetism, the study of the record of the geomagnetic field preserved in rocks. When igneous rocks form (e.g., during volcanic eruptions), magnetic minerals within the magma align themselves with the ambient geomagnetic field, locking in the polarity at the time of cooling—a process called [thermoremanent magnetization (TRM)](/entries/thermorema…