Vine-Matthews hypothesis

The Vine-Matthews hypothesis, proposed in 1963 by Drummond H. Matthews and Frederick J. Vine, explains the magnetic patterns observed on the seafloor. This hypothesis is a key component of the theory of plate tectonics and seafloor spreading.21

The theory suggests that as new oceanic crust forms at mid-ocean ridges, it acquires a magnetic signature aligned with Earth's magnetic field at that time. When Earth's magnetic field reverses, the newly formed crust records this change. This results in a series of magnetic bands parallel to the mid-ocean ridge, with alternating polarities, creating a pattern similar to a zebra's stripes. The symmetrical arrangement of these magnetic anomalies on either side of the ridge axis provides strong evidence for seafloor spreading, where new crust continuously forms and moves away from the ridge.231