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the Miocene Epoch, extending from six to 23 million years ago. At that time, the younger red and pink rocks did not exist and the two yellow Miocene stripes were joined together along their common mid-ocean ridge. the Miocene Epoch, extending from six to 23 million boils down to whether or not the presumed need for a years ago. At that time, the younger red and pink rocks —_ constant Earth radius premise is true or false. did not exist and the two yellow Miocene stripes were In Plate Tectonics theory, it is presumed that the joined together along their common mid-ocean ridge. radius of the Earth has remained essentially constant with time. As new volcanic rocks are injected along the IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS mid-ocean-ridge spreading axes, the ocean floors widen At this stage, there are a number of very important allowing newer oceanic crust to form. To maintain a considerations about the crustal mapping shown in the __ theoretical constant-radius Earth, an equal amount of above figures that must be fully appreciated. pre-existing oceanic or continental crust must then be e First, the striping shown in figure 2 shows that each _ disposed of elsewhere and returned to the mantle by a of the oceans contain a mid-ocean ridge (currently _ theorised process called "subduction". This subduction centred below the pink stripes) and each ocean is process forms the basis for Plate Tectonics theory and increasing its surface area with time. consequently is essential for This increase in surface area is shown maintaining a static- radius Earth to be symmetrical within each ocean. premise. The maximum age of exposed ocean Alternatively, for an Expansion floor crust is Early Jurassic—about At that time Tectonics Earth, the very same 165 million years old (pale blue : > volcanic rocks injected along the mid- areas). all continental ocean-ridge spreading axes again ¢ Second, if it were possible to crust was united widen and add to the surface area of move back in time, each of the stripes . ocean floor. For an Expansion shown in figures | and 2 must be to form a single Tectonics Earth, this increase in successively removed and the . surface area of all ocean floors is a corresponding edges of each coloured supercontinent reflection of an increase in Earth stripe must ne moved closet toget called Pangaea, radius, and ; erefore “Then ‘sno as we move back in time; that is, the . requirement for any net disposal o volcanic rocks (and similarly the enclosing the excess crust by subduction processes. ocean waters) within each Sih entire ancient 7 a an aan ots must be returned to the mantle Earth, prior to abou million from where they originally came. Earth at about years ago the modern ocean basins ¢ Third, as we move back in 52 per cent of did not exist. At that time, all time, each of the continents must continental crust was united to move closer together in strict the present orm a single supercontinent called Pangaea, enclosing the entire ancient Earth at about 52 per cent of the present Earth radius. nstead of the modern oceans, a network of relatively shallow seas beneath continents is an artefact covered low-lying parts of the of the basic Plate Tectonics Pangaean supercontinent. All of requirement for a constant Earth radius. The _ the relatively young ocean-floor volcanic crusts, as well as symmetrical striping evidence shown does not support much of the ocean waters and atmosphere, were retained subduction, and subduction is not required if the Earth within the mantle where they originated. is increasing its radius. While arguments can be given for and against both It should also be appreciated that none, or very little, theories, it is emphasised that the exact same crustal of this magnetic striping and age-dating evidence was _ fragments making up both the ancient supercontinents available when Plate Tectonics theory was first and the modern continents can be fitted together proposed. The global distribution of the magnetic precisely, somewhat like a spherical jigsaw, on a striping and age-dating was in fact completed later in — smaller-radius Earth to form a single supercontinent. order to quantify the plate motion history and therefore This is the question that must then be answered: is this the Plate Tectonics history of each ocean. empirical phenomenon fact or mere coincidence? accordance with the striping evidence recorded on the map in figure 2, regardless of which tectonics theory is adhered to. ¢ Fourth, subduction of crusts Earth radius. At that time, all continental supercontinent called Pangaea, enclosing the entire ancient 52 per cent of the present Earth radius. The OVERVIEW OF EXPANSION TECTONICS Acceptance of Expansion Tectonics as a viable tectonics process is currently envisaged by many researchers to be thwarted by major obstacles which supposedly "outnumber the evidence in favour". EXPANSION TECTONICS VS PLATE TECTONICS As previously stated, the primary global geological, geographical and geophysical evidence used to quantify both Plate Tectonics and Expansion Tectonics theories is identical. The difference between each theory simply APRIL - MAY 2010 NEXUS ¢ 37 crust was united to form a single Earth at about www.nexusmagazine.com