Abstract
Although Alfred Lothar Wegener proposed his continental drift hypothesis more than 100 years ago, there has been constant contention regarding the driving source of plate motions. The current geodynamic theory is mainly based on traditional mechanics. The crust is extremely thin in comparison to the earth’s radius, which may be caused by a more complex mechanical system: the mechanics of shells. The mechanics of shells reveals the mechanical effect of the tide-generating force on the earth’s crust. We present a formula that can be used to calculate the membrane stress resulting from the fluctuation of the mantle tide wave in the crust and estimate its magnitude. Although the tidal force is small, the membrane stress is high. Our investigation suggests that the membrane stress is the fundamental reason for rifting and rupture processes at mid-ocean ridges. It is thus the dynamic source for seafloor spreading and plate motion, which offers a reasonable interpretation of various significant problems that are unexplained by mantle convection theory. And there must be the plate tectonics affected by the tidal force is in the terrestrial planets or other celestial bodies.
Highlights
Since Alfred Lothar Wegener proposed the continental drift hypothesis (Evans, 1923; Hallam, 1975; Jordan, 1974; Meinesz, 1947; Minster, Jordan, Molnar, & Haines, 1974; Mobus, 1982; Ranalli, 2000; Scoppola, Boccaletti, Bevis, Carminati, & Doglioni, 2006), there has been disagreement regarding the formation mechanism, evolution law and the driving forces behind plate motions
There must be the plate tectonics affected by the tidal force is in the terrestrial planets or other celestial bodies
As the origin times of earthquakes are controlled by the semidiurnal earth tides, and earthquakes themselves are caused by crustal fractures and plate motions, there must be an inherent relation between the tide-generating force and plate motions, which may provide insight into the driving forces of plate motions
Summary
Since Alfred Lothar Wegener proposed the continental drift hypothesis (Evans, 1923; Hallam, 1975; Jordan, 1974; Meinesz, 1947; Minster, Jordan, Molnar, & Haines, 1974; Mobus, 1982; Ranalli, 2000; Scoppola, Boccaletti, Bevis, Carminati, & Doglioni, 2006), there has been disagreement regarding the formation mechanism, evolution law and the driving forces behind plate motions. No current hypothesis regarding driving mechanisms is proven or convincing (Bird, 1998; Conrad & Lithgow-Bertelloni, 2004; Forsyth & Uyeda, 1975; Lithgowbertelloni & Richards, 1995; Person & Garven, 1994; Plattner, Malservisi, & Govers, 2009; Royden, 1993; Vandecar, James, & Assumpcao, 1995; Wahr et al, 2009). The present geodynamic theory is mainly based on traditional mechanics. The relatively thin crust in comparison to the earth’s radius may have more complex source mechanism, and classical theory might be inapplicable here. The mechanics of shells and the effect of membrane stress(Belytschko, Stolarski, Liu, Carpenter, & Ong, 1985; Bitbol, Peliti, & Fournier, 2011; Capovilla & Guven, 2002; Springer et al, 2010) on the lithosphere system may cause a new revolution in geodynamics
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