Sea Floor Spreading as a Factor of Tectonic Evolution in Southern Chile

DIFFICULTIES have arisen in attempting to reconcile the tectonic evolution of continental borders with the theory of ocean floor spreading. In the case of the Chilean coast, sea floor spreading has apparently been confirmed by magnetic evidence and disproved by the presence of undisturbed sediments in the trench. Scholl, von Huene, and Ridlon1 have suggested that there are only four alternative solutions to this difficulty, none of which is supported by experimental evidence.