For 10 points, name this process that occurs on the midocean ridge system and forms new crust.
This process produced the Clipperton zone and still occurs on both sides of the Gorda Ridges in the Mendocino zone. It began during the Jurassic period, and, according to the Vine-Matthews hypothesis, works against Earth's magnetic field by preserving remnants of previous magnetic polarities. The involvement of basaltic magma in this process is responsible for the characteristic "zebra skin" pattern of magnetism, and it creates the trenches which cause transform faults. The Benioff zones diverge from protrusions created by this process, which accounts for the lack of pre-Mesozoic minerals by constantly recycling material. For 10 points, name this process that occurs on the midocean ridge system and forms new crust.
This process produced the Clipperton zone and still occurs on both sides of the Gorda Ridges in the Mendocino zone.
seafloor spreading