What expedition provided evidence supporting the concept of sea floor spreading?

The Glomar Challenger Expedition was pivotal in providing evidence for the concept of sea floor spreading, which is crucial to our understanding of plate tectonics. Conducted from 1968 to 1983, this expedition utilized the drilling ship Glomar Challenger to explore various areas of the ocean floor. During its operations, scientists were able to obtain deep-sea sediment and rock samples from different oceanic regions.

The data collected revealed key insights into the age and composition of oceanic crust. Specifically, it demonstrated that the youngest rocks were found near mid-ocean ridges, whereas older rocks were located further away, consistent with the idea that new crust is formed at these ridges and then gradually moves outward. This pattern supports the theory of sea floor spreading, as it illustrates that the ocean floor is being continuously generated and pushed away from the ridges as tectonic plates move.

The expedition's findings contributed significantly to the larger body of evidence that supports the mechanisms of plate tectonics, reaffirming the dynamic processes occurring beneath the Earth's surface.