Beginning in this new 1950s, researchers such as for example Victor Vacquier, playing with magnetic tool (magnetometers) adjusted regarding airborne devices setup during World war ii so you’re able to locate submarines, first started acknowledging odd magnetic variations along the sea flooring. Which seeking, in the event unforeseen, was not entirely shocking whilst was recognized you to definitely basalt-the newest iron-rich, eruptive stone making up the sea floor-consists of a firmly magnetized nutrient (magnetite) and certainly will in your area distort compass indication. When freshly formed stone cools, such as magnetic content filed the brand new Earth’s magnetic field at that time.

As increasing numbers of of your own seafloor try mapped for the 1950s, the fresh new magnetic distinctions proved not to ever getting arbitrary otherwise separated incidents, but instead shown identifiable activities. Whenever these magnetic models had been mapped over an extensive part, the ocean floor exhibited an excellent zebra-such as for example development: one to stripe with regular polarity together with adjacent stripe that have reversed polarity. Continuarea →