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Plate Tectonics

Plate Tectonics. Evolution of the Earth. How do we know anything about the Earth. Interior structure Volcanoes and hotspots Earthquakes Tectonic plates Tectonic motion Reconstruction of the Earth’s history. Interior. Interior. Volcanoes.

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Plate Tectonics

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  1. Plate Tectonics Evolution of the Earth

  2. How do we know anything about the Earth • Interior structure • Volcanoes and hotspots • Earthquakes • Tectonic plates • Tectonic motion • Reconstruction of the Earth’s history

  3. Interior

  4. Interior

  5. Volcanoes • Volcanoes are the result of hot spots within the crust or mantle of the earth. • The hot, liquid rock will break through weak spots in the surface and form volcanoes or flood basalts. • Many volcanoes do not release lava, instead they spit ash and small bits of lava called lapilli. • Some eruptions are quiet with very fluid (low viscosity) lava flows while others are explosive

  6. Volcanoes Quiet lava flows

  7. Volcanoes Mt. St. Helen before the explosive eruption

  8. Volcanoes

  9. Volcanoes Time lapse of the eruption

  10. Volcanoes Mt. St. Helen after the eruption

  11. Volcanoes Mt. St. Helens begins the rebuilding process

  12. Volcanoes

  13. Volcanoes

  14. A cinder cone is made up of loose rock fragments and cinders that form as gas-rich magma erupts. A shield volcano is made up of many layers of low-silica lava. A composite volcano consists of layers of erupted rock fragments and cooled flows of high-silica lava. Volcanoes erupt molten rock, rock fragments, and gases. Different types of erupted materials build up different types of volcanoes. From McDougal Littell Power point resources

  15. Volcano locations

  16. Earthquakes • Earthquakes are a result of motion within the earth. • This only occurs where the earth is solid and therefore can only occur within about 100 miles of the surface • Earthquakes provide the best evidence regarding the interior structure of the Earth.

  17. Earthquakes

  18. Earthquakes

  19. Earthquakes

  20. Earthquakes

  21. Normal Fault Normal faults form as rocks are pulled apart. Photo from: McDougal Littell Power Point resources.

  22. ReverseFault Reverse faults form as rocks are pushed together. Photo from: McDougal Littell Power Point resources.

  23. Strike Slip Fault Strike-slip faults form as rocks are pushed horizontally in opposite directions. Photo from: McDougal Littell Power Point resources.

  24. Earthquakes

  25. Earthquakes Tidal waves or Tsunamis result when a large section of the sea floor suddenly moves and therefore displaces a massive amount of water.

  26. Earthquakes Tidal waves or Tsunamis result when the low amplitude long wavelength waves reach the shallow shoreline and begin to feel the bottom of the sea floor. This Shortens the wavelength and increase the amplitude (height).

  27. Earthquakes Location of worldwide earthquakes

  28. Earthquakes Earthquakes by depth. Notice that the deep earthquakes occur only at subduction zones.

  29. Tectonic Plates

  30. Tectonic Plates Our first evidence of tectonic motion is based on similar fossils and rock types on opposing sides of the ocean

  31. Tectonic Plates

  32. Tectonic Plates Today plate boundaries are determined by examining the location of volcanoes and earthquakes. Volcanoes result from the friction (heat) of the plates motion. Earthquakes occur where plate rub against one another

  33. Tectonic Plates Volcanoes

  34. Tectonic Plates

  35. Tectonic Plates

  36. Tectonic Plates

  37. Tectonic Plates

  38. Tectonic Plates Another source of evidence is based on seafloor ages which get younger as we approach sea floor ridges

  39. Tectonic Plates Our final piece of evidence is the magnetic record of the ocean floor. This shows the pattern of reversal and we find a near perfect mirror image on opposing sides of the ridge

  40. Based on Composition • Crust – solid, relatively low density silicate rock • Mantle – Semi fluid, denser, mafic (iron and magnesium bearing) rocks • Core – Liquid then solid iron and nickel with traces of heavier elements

  41. Based on Motion • It turns out that the upper section of the mantle is adhered (stuck to the underside side of the crust to form what we call tectonic plates

  42. Plate Boundaries • Convergent – plates move toward one another • Divergent – plates move away from each other • Transform – plate moves sideways from each other

  43. Three Basic Types of Plate Boundaries Using hands to show relative motion Divergent Transform Convergent USGS Graphics

  44. Plate Boundaries

  45. Plate Boundaries

  46. Convergent Plates

  47. Convergent Plates

  48. Convergent Plates

  49. Convergent Plates The only subduction zone in the Atlantic

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