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The Pacific plate is an oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million km 2 (40 million sq mi), it is the largest tectonic plate. [2] The plate first came into existence as a microplate 190 million years ago, at the triple junction between the Farallon, Phoenix, and Izanagi plates. The Pacific plate subsequently grew ...
The geology of New Zealand is noted for its volcanic activity, earthquakes and geothermal areas because of its position on the boundary of the Australian Plate and Pacific Plates. New Zealand is part of Zealandia, a microcontinent nearly half the size of Australia that broke away from the Gondwanan supercontinent about 83 million years ago. [1]
The Hikurangi Subduction Zone is an active subduction zone extending off the east coast of New Zealand's North Island, where the Pacific and Australian plates collide. [2] [3] The subduction zone where the Pacific Plate goes under the Kermadec Plate offshore of Gisborne accommodates approximately 6 cm/year (2.4 in/year) of plate movement while off the Wairarapa shore this decreases to perhaps ...
The Alpine Fault is a geological fault that runs almost the entire length of New Zealand's South Island, being about 600 km (370 mi). [a] long, and forms the boundary between the Pacific plate and the Australian plate. [4] The Southern Alps have been uplifted on the fault over the last 12 million years in a series of earthquakes.
Two oceanic plates meet at the Kermadec Trench which is located far from any larger landmass. Because of this, the Pacific Plate as well as the trench itself is only covered by c. 200 m (660 ft) of sediments. The trench is almost perfectly straight and its simple geometry is the result of the uniformity of the subducting sea-floor.
Map of the Zealandia continent that shows the Hikurangi Margin as a red dotted line arising from the Chatham Rise, New Zealand intersection. The Hikurangi Trough (previously known as the Hikurangi Trench) [1] [a] is a sea floor feature of the Pacific Ocean off the north-east South Island and the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand.
New Zealand is situated on the boundary of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, making it one of the most active earthquake and volcanic regions in the world. The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes throughout its history.
The Hikurangi Plateau first subducted beneath New Zealand around 100 Ma during the Gondwana collision and it is currently subducting a second time as part of the convergence between the Pacific and Australian plates. These subducted parts are reaching 37–140 km (23–87 mi) into the mantle beneath the North Island and northern South Island. [6]