Which geologic features are associated with convergent boundaries
Normally the older plate will subduct because of its higher density. The subducting plate is heated as it is forced deeper into the mantle, and at a depth of about miles km the plate begins to melt. Magma chambers are produced as a result of this melting, and the magma is lower in density than the surrounding rock material.
It begins ascending by melting and fracturing its way through the overlying rock material. Magma chambers that reach the surface break through to form a volcanic eruption cone. In the early stages of this type of boundary, the cones will be deep beneath the ocean surface but later grow to be higher than sea level. This produces an island chain. With continued development the islands grow larger, merge, and an elongate landmass is created.
Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are examples of islands formed through this type of plate boundary. Visit the Interactive Plate Boundary Map to explore satellite images of these three areas.
Effects that are found at this type of plate boundary include: a zone of progressively deeper earthquakes; an oceanic trench; a chain of volcanic islands; the destruction of oceanic lithosphere.
This is a difficult boundary to draw. First it is complex and second, it is poorly understood when compared to the other types of plate boundaries. In this type of convergent boundary, a powerful collision occurs. The two thick continental plates collide, and both of them have a density that is much lower than the mantle, which prevents subduction there may be a small amount of subduction, or the heavier lithosphere below the continental crust might break free from the crust and subduct.
Fragments of crust or continent margin sediments might be caught in the collision zone between the continents, forming a highly deformed melange of rock. The intense compression can also cause extensive folding and faulting of rocks within the two colliding plates. This deformation can extend hundreds of miles into the plate interior. The Himalaya Mountain Range is the best active example of this type of plate boundary.
Visit the Interactive Plate Boundary Map to explore satellite images of the Himalaya Range where the Indian and Eurasian plates are currently in collision.
The Appalachian Mountain Range is an ancient example of this collision type and is also marked on the map. For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher.
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If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media. Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives. These tectonic plates rest upon the convecting mantle, which causes them to move. The movements of these plates can account for noticeable geologic events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and more subtle yet sublime events, like the building of mountains.
Teach your students about plate tectonics using these classroom resources. Explore the boundaries between Earth's tectonic plates with MapMaker, National Geographic's classroom interactive mapping tool. In , after decades of tediously collecting and mapping ocean sonar data, scientists began to see a fairly accurate picture of the seafloor emerge.
The Tharp-Heezen map illustrated the geological features that characterize the seafloor and became a crucial factor in the acceptance of the theories of plate tectonics and continental drift. Today, these theories serve as the foundation upon which we understand the geologic processes that shape the Earth. Scientists look to these landforms and geologic events as evidence of plate tectonics, helping them both understand what happened in the past as well as predict what Earth will look like in the future.
The five activities in the Plate Tectonics module build a systems view of plate tectonics, engaging students in data exploration about plate boundaries and experimentation via computer-based models of plate motion. Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image by Naeblys. Places where these breaks occur are called faults. A well-known example of a transform plate boundary is the San Andreas Fault in California.
Virgin Islands. Home Ocean Exploration Facts What features form at plate tectonic boundaries? What features form at plate tectonic boundaries? Deep ocean trenches, volcanoes, island arcs, submarine mountain ranges, and fault lines are examples of features that can form along plate tectonic boundaries.
For More Information What are the different types of plate boundaries?
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