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Plate tectonics (from Latin tectonicus, from Ancient Greek τεκτονικός (tektonikós) 'pertaining to building') [1] is the scientific theory that Earth's lithosphere comprises a number of large tectonic plates, which have been slowly moving since 3–4 billion years ago.
Convergent boundaries are areas where plates move toward each other and collide. These are also known as compressional or destructive boundaries. Obduction zones occurs when the continental plate is pushed under the oceanic plate, but this is unusual as the relative densities of the tectonic plates favours subduction of the oceanic plate. This ...
Continental-continental divergent/constructive boundary Oceanic divergent boundary: mid-ocean ridge (cross-section/cut-away view). In plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary (also known as a constructive boundary or an extensional boundary) is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other.
When a fault block is raised or tilted, a block mountain can result. [17] Higher blocks are called horsts, and troughs are called grabens. A spreading apart of the surface causes tensional forces. When the tensional forces are strong enough to cause a plate to split apart, it does so such that a center block drops down relative to its flanking ...
The Mendocino fracture zone extends for over 4,000 km (2,500 mi) off the coast of California and separates the Pacific plate and Gorda plate. The bathymetric depths on the north side of the fracture zone are 800 to 1,200 m (2,600 to 3,900 ft) shallower than to the south, suggesting the seafloor north of the ridge to be younger.
An interplate earthquake event occurs when the accumulated stress at a tectonic plate boundary are released via brittle failure and displacement along the fault. There are three types of plate boundaries to consider in the context of interplate earthquake events: [4] Transform fault: Where two boundaries slide laterally relative to each other.
The northern edge is a transform boundary with the Eurasian plate, forming the North Anatolian Fault zone (NAFZ). Eurasian and Anatolian plates. Research indicates that the Anatolian plate is rotating counterclockwise as it is being pushed west by the Arabian plate, impeded from any northerly movement by the Eurasian plate. [8]
A special class of strike-slip fault is the transform fault when it forms a plate boundary. This class is related to an offset in a spreading center, such as a mid-ocean ridge, or, less common, within continental lithosphere, such as the Dead Sea Transform in the Middle East or the Alpine Fault in New Zealand. Transform faults are also referred ...