Scientists Produce Images of Oceanic Crust
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Written by Astroman
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Tuesday, 30 August 2005 |
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For the first time, scientists have produced images of the oceanic crust, and found that the upper and lower layers of the crust are formed from different magma pools. The images begin to answer questions about where new ocean crust comes from, and whether it all formed the same way. Unlike continental crust, which is very old and thick, oceanic crust averages three to four miles thick, and is constantly being recycled at tectonic plate boundaries on the sea floor. Crust is destroyed at subduction zones where plates come together, and created at mid ocean ridges, where plates are pulling apart. At these ridges molten rock or magma rises from deep within the earth and solidifies to become new crust.
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