Continental Drift
Basics on Tectonic Plate Movement on Earth
We will cover how the current land masses all originated from one
land mass and its origination. Also, why the continents have continued spread
about the surface of the Earth. Finally, what are the primary driving factors
controlling continental drift?
The early Earth was a product of a massive cosmic collision, where
the present Pacific Ocean smaller than initial size is what’s left of the
remnant crater now a major ocean. The land mass was created as result of a
displacement pop in the surface riddled with major cracks and weak points to
compensate from the deep depression within Earth’s crust on the opposite side.
Now lets consider how did the present continents separate and what forces were
and still are in play concerning this process?
There are 3 Primary Factors to Consider
Rotational coefficient friction of semi-fluid mantle upon the crust
The direct relationship of applied force to the mass and thickness of the crust
The process of equalization is the goal for of any planet where the crust and
its distribution of mass is unequal upon its surface
Rotational Coefficient Friction:
In this paper we will not go into detail as to why the core
rotates, a process that will be addressed at another time, but lets concentrate
on its affects upon the crust. These principles can be observed within our own
solar system. Have you wondered why the gas giants have a higher speed of
planetary rotation? There are three factors that control planetary rotational
periods. The frictional coefficient between the surface crust and the driving
semi fluid mantle. The ratio of driving surface mantle sphere in proportion to
the surface crust. This factor does favor the larger planets. Finally the mass
of the crust, again the gas giants have a crust composed of lighter elements,
thus all factors contribute to the shorter rotational periods.
Now some are wondering if there is a shorter rotational period as a
factor of mass, then how do you explain the rotational period of the Sun?
Rotational force is not efficiently transferred to the surface of the Sun, which
is under less compression where the rotational coefficient of friction decreases
as a function of a hyperbolic curve from a gravitationally dense core to the
expanded low density gaseous surface of the Sun. Thus, this what creates the
slow rotational periods on some stars. If you were to consider a star that
compresses its mass then again the rotational coefficient would increase and
with it, the rotational surface frequency of the star. Science has many
equations that explain conservation of force in regards to spin the mass reduces
its radius, but no explanation of how cosmic objects initiate the spin process.
So the primary reason tectonic plates drift is due to rotational
friction of a mantle spinning and the transfer of force to the crust due to the
coefficient of friction for the 2 transitional mass zones in conflict. For the
Earth these zones are its crust and mantle.
The Relationship of Applied Force to the Thickness and Mass of the Crust:
When you as scientist or student try to approximate drift of
continents on an active geo-thermal planet where rotation about its axis is
intact and equalization of the primary continents has yet to occur what factors
should we consider?
Core rotation within a cosmic object is the prime force in driving
the shell or crust in a harden state. Thickness of the crust becomes a factor as
force is applied as torque about the core transferred through the equivalent of
what is the Earth’s mantle. This is a universal concept. Where there is a direct
relationship to the radius of the planet, the thickness of the crust and the
frictional coefficient based upon the composition of driving mantle and the
total surface in contact with the mantle versus the total surface area as a to
if it was completely smooth.
Mass becomes a factor only that it produces an inequality of force
applied to crust due to density and composition of the matter. This provides the
initial stress points on a continental plate during an upheaval when plate
tectonics are tested under extreme conditions.
The Process of Equalization of Land Masses on the Planetary Surface:
The Moon’s collision with Earth caused 3 primary features upon the
crust. The impact basin, which the Pacific Ocean now fills. The creation of 1
land mass raised above sea level to compensate for the compression of the crust
inward due to collision. A primary crack was created from the shockwaves
traveling through the core and emitted from the planetary mass fracturing the
crust almost 180 degrees away central point of impact. On a secondary level,
there were many minor cracks permeating the land mass land sea floor, like a
broken egg shell from the impact pop and it this feature that will morph into
the future major fault lines as the single continent eventually separates into
several.
This is the foundation of present plate tectonic movement on Earth,
but is Mid Atlantic Rift primary the only cause for the separation of land
masses? In physics you have learned that if you release two balls to rotate
about a conic incline the balls would ultimately settle approximately 180
degrees apart to variations in the air pressure left in the wake of the ball and
what builds in front. This same principle occurs with the land masses in
relation to the ocean sea beds. The driving force responsible for the rotation
of the Earth and its applied force to the crust of the Earth is unequal, thus
the sub factors of stretch and subduction of the lighter crust located in the
ocean beds becomes the variable. With the Atlantic basin still expanding on the
whole, it isn’t until the Pacific basin compresses and subducts under the
western shores of North and South America will the pressure driving the oceans
sea beds equalize. Until then geothermal activity will continue in the Pacific.
Why have we not incorporated Central America into this tectonic
plate equation? During the next upheaval where the Atlantic expands and the
Pacific subducts, the structure supporting Central America erodes. The base is
compromised by plate subduction from the west and the land mass floating on top
is push away from the east due the stretch in the Atlantic Basin. The result is
that Central America collapses and submerges under the ocean waves.
The point of equalization occurs when the Euro-Asian plate can no
longer expand away from the Atlantic Rift by compressing the Pacific Basin due
back pressures from the Americas. Plate tectonic then moves from separation
about the Mid Atlantic Rift to general local plate movements rotating about
various static points while the static point itself drifts slowly about the
globe in a constant random pattern to equalize pressures responsible for
movement, rotation of the Earth.
The continental drift today observed by scientists was not the
primary cause separating the tectonic plates. The rotation of the mantle on the
underside of the crust and the unequal forces applied to the continents and
oceans beds is responsible for slow continental drift until a point of
equilibrium is reached. What has driven the Earth changes and the abrupt changes
in the land masses only occurs during short periods of upheavals in geological
history preserved as anomalies counter present day theory, mostly overlooked,
but still there.
How can this concept explain what has transpired in the Northern
Atlantic Ocean? First one has to realize that tectonic movement is a series of
give and takes, all staring at the Mid Atlantic Rift. During certain periods of
upheaval on Earth where the Mid Atlantic Rift spews new crust in relation to the
net mass loss subducted to mountain building countered by the loss due to valley
formation. In conjunction with rotational friction what changes occur? During a
point where there is an absent of new crust ejected from the rift the Atlantic
stretches. In the past, remnant events would produce sink holes, ocean valleys
along the edge of the Atlantic, the English channel, and low lying areas of the
Netherlands for just a few of the examples.
In time where the crust expands in conjunction with rotational
movement the forward flow finds resistance and seeks an equilibrium, thus is sub
ducted. An example was along the eastern edge of the plate expanding from the
rift as it was force under the plate supporting Europe, thus giving birth to the
Alps with the push back seen as the declining foothills.
This same process can be observed on the Eastern Coast of the
United States. As the crust expands westward away from the rift, but rotational
movement forces the North America forward again an equalization process will
occur. A lateral line approximately 90 degrees to the forward movement of the
plate and back pressures to plate expansion of the Mid Atlantics rift. The
result, a pop on the Eastern edge of the North American Continent where the
release of pressure is in proportion to the disruptive increase in the elevation
of the land in the form of foothills and high peaks of the Appalachians.
The idea of rotation torque is new so how does this affects the
many lakes, seas, and land formations now observed in the Northeastern part of
the U.S.?
Where rotational torque affects the land mass, there is an eastward
force that rips the seam that created the St. Lawrence Valley. Torque is a
rotational stress applied to the crust where the force in the directional of
rotation decreases as a function latitude away from the base, the equator. In
the case of the Northeast the torque created tear that created the river valley
added to the push. This push to the backside of the Appalachians from the
expanding Great Lakes created the high peaks regions in Maine, New Hampshire and
New York.
It is here that we must consider the tangent angle of the crust to
the primary flow differentials of force applied the crust due to latitude
causing torque or ripping at the various weak points.
Secondary Factors
Lets further examine the concept of plate movement, which is
related to rotational torque. So how does torque become factor of plate
tectonics and movement? The driving force behind the rotation of the surface of
the Earth is derived from a constant motion within the core seeking equilibrium,
the rotational coefficient in this case is a constant. It is this force, that is
transferred to the mantle with the lost on energy converted to heat. Within a
planetary sphere, the translation of rotational force provide by the mantle in
simplistic terms is transferred to the crust as a function of the angle between
the equator and the pole with the force decreasing as the angle of a reference
point on the crust increases away from the equator ultimately its pole.
Inequalities created by this process applies a torque to stress points about the
Earth’s crust. When a tear occurs either to the north or south of the fault line
where expansion occurs.
The Mid Atlantic Rift when created as an expansion crack to relieve
pressure due to compression of the crust at the impact zone on the opposite side
of the Earth. This initiated flow out of the rift once flowing, the expulsion of
matter creates a internal pressure void, thus now the crust is sucked under at
points where forward lateral passage is blocked by the path of least resistance
was under the obstruction. This was the creation of most subduction zones.
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