title: Laboratory plate tectonics: a new experiment.
abstract: A "continent" made of a layer of hexagonally packed black polyethylene spheres floating in clear silicon oil breaks into subcontinents when illuminated by an ordinary incandescent light bulb. This experiment may be a useful model of plate tectonics driven by horizontal temperature gradients. Measurements of the spreading rate are made to establish the feasibility of this model.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Gans