Jean Dercourt

Naissance de l'idée de mobilité continentale De la dérive des continents à la tectonique des plaques : une épopée scientifique

Reference 4 Version 1 Date 25/10/2012

Before A. Wegener, the fixity of continents was considered a consistent data. The highlighting of a tangential tectonics led to completely review this concept. A. Wegener proposed a mechanism that was quickly challenged. The discovery of seafloor morphology has imposed the research of a mechanism. The convection of the mantle layers has been the basis of a revival. The exploration of the ocean floor has confirmed the validity of this mechanism. The concept of mobility of continents is essential but the mechanism proposed by A. Wegener is replaced by that of sea-floor spreading. Later this process was carefully checked.