Tracking Earthquakes and Volcanoes with Google Earth
All images are from the software program Google Earth. Click the thumbnails to enlarge the image.
Continental-Continental Convergent Boundary
The continental collision of India into Asia produces the largest mountains in the world. It also produces earthquakes far away from the plate boundary. An earthquake that occurred in Tajikistan was 420 km north of the plate boundary. It was measured at a magnitude of 4.7 and a depth of 10.4 km. Happening on Saturday October 20, 10:31 pm local time may have awoken a few people.
Divergent Boundary
Next is the island being split apart, Iceland. This is caused by the Eurasian and North American plates diverging in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. An earthquake occurred off the northern coast on October 21 at 1:25 in the morning. It was measured at a magnitude of 5.7 and at a depth of 9.9 km.
Transform Boundary
Following Iceland is California; probably the most famous place in the world for earthquakes. This is caused by the North American and Pacific plates sliding past each other at the San Andreas Fault. This earthquake was a 5.3 in magnitude at a depth of 9.2 km. The shaking happened just before midnight (11:55 pm) on October 20.
Oceanic-Continental Convergent Boundary
Now we move south to Antofagasta Chile. Earthquakes here are caused by the subduction of the Nazca Plate below the South American Plate. This earthquake was measured as a 5.1 with a depth of 32.4 km. Occurring at 7:45 am on Tuesday October 23, it was probably a interesting wake up call for the local wildlife and anyone camping at the Pan de Azúcar national park.
Oceanic-Oceanic Convergent Boundary
The last earthquake but the first to occur on this list was on the Okinawa tectonic plate with the epicenter at Kyushu, Japan at a magnitude of 5.3. The focus of the earthquake was measured to be at a depth of 168.3 km. The earthquake happened on Tuesday, October 16, 2012 at 10:39 pm. This earthquake occurred between three boundaries: one is a divergent oceanic boundary, the second is a divergent continental boundary, the third and the cause of the earthquake is a oceanic-oceanic convergent boundary. This is because of the the depth at which it occurred. Divergent and transform boundary earthquakes are typically more shallow. On the other hand, convergent earthquakes can occur at greater depths.
Shield Volcano
The shield volcano I chose was Namarunu in Kenya, Africa. This volcano sits inside the rift valley a divergent boundary that is tearing the continent of Africa apart. The red line around the volcano is to show the base. Since shield volcanoes are so large and flat it can be difficult to notice them.
Composite Volcano
Composite volcanoes are easily noticed. White Island is a composite volcano off the coast of New Zealand. It
is caused by the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates converging in the ocean.
is caused by the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates converging in the ocean.
Cinder Cone Volcano
Back on land and on the other side of the Pacific Ocean is Pinacate just south of the border in Mexico. This
cinder cone volcano is one in a field of many. And while it sits on continental crust it appears to be caused by the divergence of the North American and Pacific plates in the Gulf of California.
cinder cone volcano is one in a field of many. And while it sits on continental crust it appears to be caused by the divergence of the North American and Pacific plates in the Gulf of California.
Caldera Volcano
Saving the biggest for last is Toba in Indonesia. Toba is a caldera volcano with a lake inside that measures over 80 km in length and 30 km in width. The island on the lake, and also part of the volcano, is Samosir. Not only the volcanoes but also the islands of Indonesia are caused by the convergence of the Eurasian Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate.