Download Map of Major Tectonic Plates and Se

Map of Major Tectonic Pla
E U R A S I A N P L AT E
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D IA N R I D E
L IN
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JA
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PA
I N D
I A N
R I D G E
I F I C
P A C
PLATE BOUNDARIES
Divergent margin
A N T A R C T I C
A N T
P L A T E
Convergent margin
Transform fault (arrows show relative motion)
Divergent Boundaries & Spreading Zones
Spreading center—Fast
L i t h o s p h e re
Divergent boundaries occur mostly
along spreading centers where the
magma rises forming new crust.
(Ex. East Pacific Rise, Mid Atlantic
Ridge.)
Spreading center—Slow
Mountains & valleys
O ce a n i c c r u s t
M a nt l e
As t h e n o s p h e re
Partial melt
Spreading zones (no graphic) on
continents create parallel mountains
and valleys as the crust pulls apart
(ex: Basin & Range, U.S. and the
Lithosphere
Crust
Mantle
Asthenosphere
Partial melt
Great Rift Valley, Africa. )
Background map courtesty of Scott Walker (Digital Cartography Specialist, Harvard College Library); graphics and tectonic & volcca
ic Plates and Select Great Earthquakes and Volcanoe
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ID
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T L
A N I C
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A N
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N C
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T R
Basin & Range
A
JUAN dE F UC A
PL ATE
CARIBBEAN
P L AT E
M
I
D
PUERTO
RICO TRENCH
AM
E
EN RICA
CH
C H I L
E
T
R
NAZCA
P L AT E
A
D G E
R I
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T I
C
R
A N T A
A
Convergent Boundaries
Lithosphere
Lithosphere
Oceanic crust
Co nt i n e nt a l
c ru s t
.
. . . . .
.. .
.
O
ce
an
Asthenosphere
ic
cr
us
.
.
As t h e n o s p h e re
.
. .
. ..
.
t
Ocean-Ocean—Ocean plate dives
beneath another ocean plate;
volcanic island chain forms above
the zone (ex:. The Marianas)
Ocean-Continent: Ocean plate dives
beneath a continental plate. Volcanic
mountain chain forms inland.
(ex:. Cascade Range, Sumatra, Japan)
onic & volccanic features by Jenda Johnson (Volcano Video & Graphics)
Co nt i n e nt a l c r u s t
L i t h o s p h e re
L i t h o s p h e re
.
As t h e n o s p h e re
Co nt i n e nt a l c r u s t
L i t h o s p h e re
L i t h o s p h e re
Asthenosphere
High
Pl ate a u
Mo
u
R an t a i n
ng
e
Vo lc an ic
ar c
ch
en
Co n t i n e n t a l
crust
crust
Oceanic
Tr
ch
Is la nd
ar c
When two plates move toward each other, crust is destroyed as one plate dives (is subducted) beneath
the other. The location where sinking of a plate occurs is called a subduction zone.
en
A T E
SCOTIA
P L AT E
Most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanoes are found at or near the boundary between two
tectonic plates. Friction between the plates keeps them from sliding. When the frictional strain is
overcome, the ground suddenly snaps along faults and fractures releasing energy as earthquakes.
Volcanoes occur at divergent margins (where magma rises and erupts); at convergent margins (where
an oceanic plate dives beneath another plate; magma forms in the continental plate above the diving
oceanic plate), and less commonly as hot spots (where magma melts through a plate, such as Hawai`i).
Tr
F I C
M I D
P E R
U
REN
SOUTH
AMERICAN
P L AT E
R
C H
E N
TR
E A S
T
CH
PA
C I
F I
C
R I S E
DLE
E
PAC I F I C P L AT E
MID
I D
G
COCOS
P L AT E
O
ld
o
ce
an
ic
cr
u
st
Continent-Continent: Two thick
continental plates collide and buckle
into high mountains.
(ex: Himalaya Mountain Range.)
ANT
lcanoes.
EURASIAN
P L AT E
E
L A
N T I
R
ID
G
HELLENIC
AFRICAN
P L AT E
East A
frican
Rift S
ystem
AR ABI AN
PL ATE
E
M I D
I D
G
E
A T L A N
T I C
R
I D
G
AFRICAN
P L AT E
AM
A N TA
ERIC
R
T H
S O U
W
E
T
S
I N
D
N
IA
R
AN
RID
CTIC
GE
SYMBOLS
White arrows show plate motion direction
Volcanoes (generalized)
Hot spot (arrow shows direction of plate motion)
g
i).
Great earthquakes since 1900;
before 1900
Transform Boundaries
rust
h e re
u
TRENCH
Crust
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
As surrounding plates
are driven by deep forces
to move apart or crunch
together, the in-between
areas are pushed around
on the surface. This forces
them to slide past each
other horizontally.
Spreading
ridge
Tra n s fo r m f a u l t
Spreading
ridge
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Cru s t
Partial melt
st
e
Strike slip faults result from
two plates moving horizontally
in opposite directions
(ex: San Andreas Fault, California).
Transform faults are where two
plates are moving away from
a spreading ridge and fracture
zones develop (ex: ocean floor)