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The oldest in-situ oceanic lithosphere is found at lithospheric subduction zones, where oceanic crust is being drawn into the mantle. These would normally be the point furthest away from its point of origin at the mid-ocean ridge.
However the oldest remnant of oceanic crust found on earth dates from the early Archean when the lithosphere began to develop and are a product of obduction (where slivers of oceanic crust are thrust onto a continental crustal plate rather than below them). An example would be the Jamestown Ophiolite Complex of the Barberton greenstone belt in South Africa which formed approximately 3.5 billion years ago.
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∙ 12y ago
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∙ 13y agoThere is no definitive answer to this question. Scientists have done some very good research to find the answers and know about the lithology and age of the terrain of the ocean floors. But still a vast area is yet to be studied or explored under the ocean. To date the oldest oceanic crust has been found along the Asian side of the pacific plate.
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∙ 13y agoAt lithospheric subduction zones, where oceanic crust is being drawn into the mantle. These would normally be the point furthest away from its point of origin at the mid-ocean ridge.
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∙ 15y agoThe oldest oceanic crust which is currently undergoing subduction is in the Pacific Ocean in the Izu-Mariana Arc System, roughly 170 million years old.
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∙ 11y agolike 1,000,000,000,000
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What happens to an oceanic plate as it pushes against another plate?
When oceanic plates push against one another they cause subduction or adduction earthquakes. These plate tectonics take place on ocean floors all over the world.
Where would you drill to recover Jurassic age samples of the oldest basalts of the oceanic crust?
oceanic side of the Aleutian trench
Where would you drill to recover samples of the oldest basaltic oceanic crust which is Jurassic age?
Oceanic side of the Aleutian trench.
How does the age of the oldest continental crust compared to the age of the oldest oceanic crust?
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
Where would you expect to find oldest rock on the ocean floor?
Somewhere at the bottom of the Marianas Trench you would find the oldest rock of the oceanic crust. Somewhere else, however, there are older rocks on the ocean floor--those deposited by icebergs that have broken off of glaciers. Those erratic rocks could be much older than the oldest oceanic crust.
Where in geographic location is oceanic plate found?
Oceanic plates form the 'floors' of the worlds oceans.
What is the result when ocean floors spread?
oceanic trenches and volcanoes from the rising magma.
What happens to an oceanic plate as it pushes against another plate?
When oceanic plates push against one another they cause subduction or adduction earthquakes. These plate tectonics take place on ocean floors all over the world.
Where would you drill to recover Jurassic age samples of the oldest basalts of the oceanic crust?
oceanic side of the Aleutian trench
Where would you drill to recover samples of the oldest basaltic oceanic crust which is Jurassic age?
Oceanic side of the Aleutian trench.
Where does the oldest rock take place at on the ocean floor in sea-floor spreading?
Far from the mid oceanic ridge, near the continental margin (oldest oceanic rock ages 200 mya)
On the ocean floor where is the oldest rock?
The oldest rock in oceanic crust is that which is found the greatest distance from a mid-ocean-ridge.
Where in relation to a mid ocean ridge would you find the oldest oceanic lithosphere?
the bottom
How old is the oceanic crust?
It varies, but the oldest part is 180 million years old
What is the age of the oldest ocean?
The oldest oceanic crust is in the west Pacific and north-west Atlantic. They are about 180 to 200 million years old.
Where would you expect to find the oldest rock on the oldest floor?
Somewhere at the bottom of the Marianas Trench you would find the oldest rock of the oceanic crust. Somewhere else, however, there are older rocks on the ocean floor--those deposited by icebergs that have broken off of glaciers. Those erratic rocks could be much older than the oldest oceanic crust.
How does the age of the oldest continental crust compared to the age of the oldest oceanic crust?
The oldest continental crust would be between three and one half to four billion years older than the oldest oceanic crust. This is due to the fact that ocean plates are subducted under the continental plates, subjected to partial melt and essentially recycled in the mantle before reforming.
