THE WILSON

CYCLE

 The hypothesis, is named after the

Canadian geophysicist J. Tuzo Wilson
(1908-1993), who proposed the
opening and closing of ocean basin.
The cyclical opening and closing of
ocean basin is caused by movement of
the Earth's plates.
Ocean basin have life span with
several stages from opening, through
development, to final closing and
destruction of the basin. Mainly six
stages are involved in Wilson cycle.

STAGE A - STABLE CRATON

STAGE B - HOT SPOT AND RI

FTING

STAGE C - CREATION OF NEW OCEANIC CRUST: EARLY DIVER

GENT MARGIN

Sea
Red
African Plate

Arabian Plate

STAGE D - FULL DIVERGENT

MARGIN

STAGE E - CREATING A CON

VERGENT BOUNDARY: VOLCAN
IC ISLAND ARC

STAGE F - ISLAND ARC-CON

TINENT COLLISION MOUNTAI
N BUILDING

STAGE G - CORDILLERAN MO
UNTAIN BUILDING

STAGE H - CONTINENT-CONTINENT COLLISION MOUNTAIN BUIL

DING

STAGE I - STABLE CONTINEN

TAL CRATON