Plate Tectonic Scientists

  • Abraham Ortellius

    Dutch geographer and cartographer, and mapmaker
    Theory:believed that America was “Torn Away From Europe and Africa” by earthquakes and floods.
    Evidence: it wasn’t caused by earthquakes and floods- Alfred L. Wegener proved that is was the Continental Drift theory . The jigsaw fit of the continents.
  • Nicolaus Steno

    He wondered how a solid object could be found inside another solid object.
    Theory: rock strata and similar deposits were formed when particles in a fluid such as water fell to the bottom. This process would leave horizontal layers.
    Evidence: assuming that all rocks and minerals had once been fluid he reasoned his theory. I agree because I think rocks do have layers inside.G
  • James Hutton

    James Hutton (1726-1797)
    Scottish geologists, chemist, naturalist
    Theory: Believed that fusion of sediments arose by great heat from the lower region of the Earth’s crust
    Evidence: He used Steno’s law of superposition to develop this theory.
  • Arthur Holmes

    Arthur Holmes= 1890-1965 studied physics but switched to geology.
    Theory: created a mechanism to prove wegener’s theory of continental drift which is what it is called when the continents move with the plates.
    Evidence: He suggested the Earth’s mantle had contained convection cells that dissipated radiocative heat that may cause continental drift. I agree because i think that radioactive heat can cause the continents to move.
  • Dan McKenzie

    Theory of Plate Tectonics - The outer rigid layer of the earth (lithosphere) is divided into a few dozen plates that move across the earth’s surface relative to eachother . He wondered since he was young what happened to the the Continents and how they fit together like a puzzle. I agree because if the continents move then the lithosphere must be the only reason.
  • Harry Hess

    A professor at Princeton University. His Theory was the Seafloor Spreading meaning When ocean crust is formed by volcanic activity and moves away from the ridge.Evidence: He wondered of this when he was looking at the ocean floor and noticed that they were young. He wrote a Report (History of Ocean Basins) to The Office of Naval Research about his discovery which was published in 1962. I agree because when lave dries, it becomes crust and they move away because of plate tectonics.
  • Alfred Lothar Wegener

    German meteorologist and geophysicist
    Theory: Pangea Theory - Continental Drift- believed that the continents were once joined together and over time it drifted apart
    Evidence: South America and Africa looks like jigsaw puzzles that was once snapped together