The creation of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges as magma rises to fill the gap where two tectonic plates diverge, then cools and is pushed outward on both sides as spreading continues. Its discovery, confirmed by symmetric magnetic striping on the seafloor, provided the key mechanical evidence that turned continental drift into the accepted theory of plate tectonics.
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1. Seafloor spreading, Wikipedia
Opening paragraphQuote, Opening paragraph
Seafloor spreading, or seafloor spread, is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge.
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