So Many Subductive Plates ;)

Hey scientists!

This post is bitter sweet, seeing as it is my last post on this trip. I have had a truly incredible time and have learned so much about our earth throughout my journey. I have to thank you, my readers, for supporting during this awesome experience. I hope that you will continue to read my blog on my coming adventures. But enough sad stuff, here is my last post:

http://themisanthropesjournal.blogspot.com/2011/07/
mariana-trench-is-deepest-point-in-earth.htm

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/tectonics/tectonics-subduct.html

http://themisanthropesjournal.blogspot.com/2011/07/
mariana-trench-is-deepest-point-in-earth.html

I arrived in Guam and got straight on a boat two days ago After several high-speed hours, I arrived at the Mariana trench ( 11.18°N, 142.14°E). The Mariana trench is the lowest point in the ocean and its all because of tectonic plates. The Mariana trench is located on the border between the Mariana and the Pacific Plates. Around this area there are also lots of volcanoes on nearby islands and earthquakes of 8+ magnitude. I only got to stay for one day on the boat, seeing as I'm on a strict schedule, so I took the first flight to Argentina. I then drove to the worlds highest active volcano, Nevada Ojos del Salado (27.12°S, 68.55°W). This volcano is located near the border between the Nazca and South American plates and emitted ash in 1993.  The last known eruption is approximately 1300 years ago though. There are many earthquakes in that same area, some close to a magnitude of 8. Now I'll explain the science of these two natural phenomenons. 

Both of these awesome (dare I say magical) features are located on subduction boundaries. Subduction is when two plates collide and the denser one (the oceanic plate) is forced to subduct under the more buoyant plate (the continental plate). In doing so, magma is created by the heat caused by friction and since it is less dense, it rises through the crust and finds its way to a volcano. Trenches are formed because of the slope of the plate which water is filling in. Subduction is a truly amazing boundary. 

Until next time,

Your tectonic traveler XOXO

http://andesmarques.blogspot.com/2011/03/
nevado-ojos-del-salado.html

The Plates Collide

http://snowbrains.com/fight-breaks-out-on-mt-everest-100-sherpas-vs-3-europeans/

Avid Scientists Unite!

I left Saudi Arabia after a short stay and made my way to Nepal to visit the most famous mountain in the world: Mt. Everest ( 27.59°N,  86.55°E). I hired a helicopter to give me a professional tour of the amazing mountain. For those of you that don't know, Mt. Everest is the tallest mountain in the world. Its part of a mountain range called the Himalayas. The Himalayas are between the Eurasian and Indian plate. Around this area are lots of mountains, some volcanoes, and some earthquakes and now we're going to find out why!

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/tectonics/tectonics-collide.html

The boundary that causes the massive mountain range is called collision. Collision boundaries are when  tectonic plates...collide...into each other and create mountain ranges, occasionally volcanoes, and of course, earthquakes. The last major quake in that area was in September of 2011 and it was a 6.9 on the scale. Earthquakes in this area range from tiny to in the 7's. Collision boundaries are no joke, people!

Transformers 4: Tectonics

Hey again,

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/
USGS_Shakemap_-_1995_Gulf_of_Aqaba_earthquake.jpg

Its day 4 of my journey and I've learning more than I did in my four years of high school. I hope you guys, my readers, are enjoying this journey just as much as I am. I can honestly tell you that I have never had so much respect for the Tectonic Plates. They really are game makers of the earth. But enough of me talking, you're reading for the science...so here it is: I'm now in Saudi Arabia checking out a transforming boundary between the Arabian Plate and the African Plate on the Gulf of Aqaba ( 28.48°N, 34.50°E). There are tons of earthquakes here and I came here to figure out why.

A transforming boundary is simply when two plates, side by side, rub against each other. All of this friction can create fractures and also creates extreme earthquake activity. There are almost constant earthquakes in this region but the most recent big earthquakes were in 1995 and several people died.

http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu
/tectonics/tectonics-slide.html

Thanks for reading and TA-TA for now :)

http://m9.i.pbase.com/o6/93/329493/1/
84850859.5BrbyM9F.TIPTUNFeb07018.jpg

Next Stop: Divergence!

http://www.colinsnotes.com/2012/12/07/557/

Hey all,

I’m writing from a small lodge in Ethiopia. These past two days have been CARAZY. I flew from LA (my home town  ) to New York to Addis Ababa and here I am! The attraction here is Erta Ale ( 13.36°N,  40.40°E) a volcano on the East African Rift. This volcano is absolutely amazing, but whats even more amazing is the science that causes it! The tectonic plates are truly incredible: the crust of our earth is made up of 15 (58 in total) major tectonic plates made of dense rock. Tectonic plates move around in all kinds of funky ways due to the hot earth that allows them to slip and slide around (very slooooowly). What propels these plates are the convection cells in the mantle that cycle hot rock around.

http://www.igorilla.org/where.html

This particular fault line is caused by the Somalian plate and the African plate diverging. Diverging is when two plates separate or spread apart from each other. The plates create an opening which lowers the pressure and allows magma to form. Then, because the magma is lower density, it rises up through the earth and erupts out of volcanoes.
Continental rifting eventually can lead to oceans. The last time Erta Ale erupted was in November
 of 2008. There are also several earthquakes in the area due to the movement of tectonic plates as big as in the 5 range. I'll only be here for a couple of days before I head off to my next tectonic destination.

Thats it for now,

Your exploring friend

About

This is a blog I will be posting in while I travel around the world visiting interesting locations that have features caused by the fascinating tectonic plates. My name is Rebecca and I am getting my phD in Geology at MIT. I am embarking on this incredible journey to learn about how plate tectonics effect volcanoes, earthquakes and other natural phenomenons. Hopefully as I'm learning, so will you! When I get back I will be an expert on all different kinds of tectonic boundaries. I’m leaving tomorrow morning, so wish me luck. Thanks for reading!

PS: I attached a chart explaining what happens at each tectonic boundary, this will come in handy while perusing my blog :)

http://www.classzone.com/vpg_ebooks/ml_earthscience_na/ml_earthscience_na_main.cfm?mlauthtoken=-567540846&authtoken=-567540846&&