CONTINENTAL EVOLUTION DESCRIBED BY THE “WILSON CYCLE”

-CONTINENTS RIFT, FORMING NEW OCEAN BASINS

-OCEAN BASINS OPEN AND WIDEN

-EVENTUALLY THEY CLOSE BY SUBDUCTION AND CONTINENTAL COLLISION AND MOUNTAIN BUILDING OCCUR

-AS A RESULT, VOLCANIC ISLAND ARCS AND CONTINENTAL FRAGMENTS ACCRETE UNTO THE CONTINENTS

-THE CONTINENTS LATER RIFT APART AGAIN

-THUS OCEANS ARE BORN, LIVE, AND DIE WHEREAS CONTINENTS NEVER SUBDUCT BUT ARE REARRANGED

 

(Press & Siever)