Frederick Vine

Definition

Frederick Vine is a prominent geophysicist known for his significant contributions to the understanding of plate tectonics and paleomagnetism, particularly through the development of the Vine-Matthews hypothesis. This hypothesis provides a mechanism for understanding how magnetic patterns in oceanic crust are formed and how they relate to seafloor spreading, which is essential for interpreting geological history and plate movements.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Frederick Vine, along with Dr. Drummond Matthews, proposed the Vine-Matthews hypothesis in 1963, which explains how patterns of magnetic anomalies in oceanic crust relate to the age of the seafloor.
2. The Vine-Matthews hypothesis was crucial in supporting the theory of plate tectonics by providing evidence that ocean floors are created at mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at subduction zones.
3. Vine's work demonstrated that as magma cools at mid-ocean ridges, iron-rich minerals align with Earth's magnetic field, recording its direction and strength over time.
4. His research helped establish a timeline for the age of the ocean floor, revealing that new crust is continuously formed and older crust moves away from the ridges.
5. The implications of Vine's findings have been fundamental in understanding continental drift, plate movements, and the geological history of Earth.

Review Questions

• How did Frederick Vine's research contribute to the understanding of plate tectonics?
  • Frederick Vine's research played a critical role in establishing the connection between paleomagnetism and plate tectonics through his development of the Vine-Matthews hypothesis. This hypothesis explained how magnetic patterns in oceanic crust provide evidence for seafloor spreading. By demonstrating that these magnetic anomalies correspond to the age of the seafloor, Vine's work supported the idea that tectonic plates move due to processes occurring at mid-ocean ridges.
• Discuss the significance of the Vine-Matthews hypothesis in relation to magnetic reversals and their impact on geological history.
  • The Vine-Matthews hypothesis is significant because it directly relates magnetic reversals to the process of seafloor spreading. As new magma rises at mid-ocean ridges and solidifies, it captures the Earth's magnetic field orientation at that time. These records of magnetic reversals not only help scientists date different segments of oceanic crust but also provide insights into the history of Earth's magnetic field changes. This has broader implications for understanding continental drift and past geological events.
• Evaluate how Frederick Vine's findings have influenced modern geological science and our understanding of Earth's dynamics.
  • Frederick Vine's findings have profoundly influenced modern geological science by providing a clear mechanism for understanding plate tectonics through paleomagnetic data. His work laid the groundwork for interpreting geological processes on a global scale, illustrating how seafloor spreading shapes continental configurations over millions of years. This has impacted various fields, including geology, oceanography, and environmental science, leading to more comprehensive models of Earth's dynamic systems and aiding in predicting geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanic activity.

Related terms

Paleomagnetism:

The study of the magnetic properties of rocks, which helps in determining the historical positions and movements of tectonic plates.

Seafloor Spreading: The process by which new oceanic crust is formed at mid-ocean ridges and gradually moves away from the ridge, leading to the expansion of ocean basins.

Magnetic Reversal: The phenomenon where the Earth's magnetic field reverses its polarity, affecting the alignment of magnetic minerals in rocks and providing a record of geological time.