Earth: An Introduction to Physical Geology (12th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0134074254
ISBN 13: 978-0-13407-425-2

Chapter 14 - Give It Some Thought - Page 441: 1

Answer

The discovery of a sliver of oceanic crust in the interior of a continent would not refute the theory of plate tectonics. In fact, it would be entirely consistent with the theory. Plate tectonics explains the movement of lithospheric plates, which can include oceanic crust, continental crust, or a combination of both. The presence of oceanic crust in the interior of a continent can be explained through the process of plate tectonics. One likely scenario is that the oceanic crust was once part of a larger oceanic plate that was subducted beneath the continent. During the subduction process, the oceanic crust could have been scraped off the descending plate and accreted onto the continent. This accretion process is a common geological phenomenon associated with plate tectonics, where crustal fragments from different plates are added to the edges of continental masses. Another possibility is that the oceanic crust was formed in a back-arc basin setting, where the continent was rifting apart and new oceanic crust formed in the gap. Subsequently, tectonic forces could have moved this section of oceanic crust inland, tucking it into the continent.

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