Plate tectonics overview powerpoint

What happens at plate boundaries?. How do Earth scientists classify plate boundaries?... Part 1. Identify the patterns of your area of expertise – volcanology, seismology, geography,

Where are the Earth’s tectonic

plates and their boundaries?

What happens at plate boundaries? How do Earth scientists classify

plate boundaries?

Part 1.

 Identify the patterns of your area of expertise – volcanology, seismology, geography,

geochronology - AT PLATE BOUNDARIES

 Describe what you observe – do not interpret what you see, just describe the patterns

 Wide or narrow, straight or curved, symmetric

or not symmetric, deep or shallow, ridge or

valley, active or inactive

 Identify 3-5 boundary types; color each on

your transparency; define in words

Part 2.

 Bring together areas of expertise –

volcanology, seismology, geography,

Part 3.

 Describe the different types of boundaries

 What patterns were related in the different data sets?

Plate Boundaries

Where Stuff Happens

Plate Tectonics

• The upper mechanical layer of Earth (lithosphere) is

divided into rigid plates that move away, toward, and along each other

• Most (!) geologic action occurs at plate boundaries in

DISTINCT patterns

Compositional

Physical / Mechanical

1 Divergent Boundaries

Atlantic Ridge

Mid-Nort h Am

erica n Nort h Am

erica n Plate Eurasia Eurasia n n

Plate

•Volcanic activity in fissures, some volcanos

•Shallow earthquakes, on plate boundary

•Young crust, symmetrical around boundary

•Ridge

•Rocks?

South American PlateNazca Plate

Antarctic Plate

Andes Mountains

South American Plate

Peru-Chile Trench

•Volcanos tight, parallel boundary, landward

•Shallow to deep earthquakes

•Age varies on one side of the boundary; not symmetrical

•Trench, mountain chain

•Rocks?

•Volcanos tightly spaced, parallel boundary, arc

•Shallow to deep earthquakes

•Age varies on one side of the boundary; not symmetrical

•Trench, volcanic island chain

•Rocks?

Eurasian Plate

Indian Plate

Himalaya Mountains

Tibetan Plateau

Himalayan Mtns.

Mt Everest

2 Convergent Boundaries

(c) Continent-continent convergence

Tibetan Plateau

Himalayan Mountains

•Volcanos rare, dispersed

•Shallow (to medium) dispersed earthquakes

•No age data

•High mountain chain

•Rocks?

3 Transform-Fault Boundaries

North Americ an Plate

North Americ an Plate

•Volcanos dispersed, most on one side

•Earthquakes complex, shallow (to medium) on both sides

•Age data not symmetrical, one side of boundary

•Complex topography, wide mountains and basins

•Rocks?

Plate Tectonics

• The upper mechanical layer of Earth (lithosphere) is

divided into rigid plates that move away, toward, and along each other

• Most (!) geologic action occurs at plate boundaries in

DISTINCT patterns

What’s Driving Plate Tectonics

on Earth?

It’s all about convection and heat (loss)! Vigorous convection drives plate tectonics

And for the rest of the week …

 What features do you expect to see on other planets if plate tectonics processes are active?

 What does this tell you about the interior

of the planet?

 What skills did you use in undertaking this activity?