Lab 4
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School
University of New Mexico, Main Campus *
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Course
1110
Subject
Geology
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
5
Uploaded by Brandygrace
Lab 4: Exploring Plate tectonics in
Google Earth
Learning Goals
Define different types of plate tectonic boundaries by using data sets such as volcanoes, earthquakes,
topographic and bathymetric profiles, and sea floor age.
Apply known characteristics of plate boundaries to identify other boundaries and their frequency world wide.
Students will be able to analyze multiple geoscience data sets to determine the attributes at different types of
plate boundaries.
Accessing Google Earth
You will utilize Google Earth for this exercise and for several other laboratory exercises throughout the semester. Google
Earth is available as a free download at www.earth.google.com. Google Earth apps are also available for smartphones
and tablets. Many of the functions are not available in the app versions, however, so
the computer version will be
necessary to complete this and future laboratory exercises.
Google earth Pro is freely available at:
https://www.google.com/earth/learn/
A Google Earth user’s guide is also available at:
http://serc.carleton.edu/sp/library/google_earth/UserGuide.html
Materials needed
Computer/device with Google Earth
Download accompanying .kmz files (2)
o
Part 1 and Part 2
Videos associated with lab
KMZ files and video links are located in module
Your task:
In this investigation you will examine data sets of topography, bathymetry (ocean depth), volcano location, earthquake
location, and ocean floor age to determine the location and attributes of different plate tectonic boundaries
. After
looking at global plate tectonics, you will look at our study regions more closely.
Tips
When you bring files into Google Earth, make sure you save them to My Places and then File
Save
Save My Places.
That way if Google Earth crashes, everything will reload automatically when you restart.
You should uncheck data sets that you are not using for a given question because they may interfere with each other
(particularly the Age-of-Ocean-Floor).
Earthquakes and volcanoes will not show up until you are somewhat zoomed in. You will probably find that an eye
altitude of 4000-5000km is best for balancing view scope with data visibility.
A. Atlantic Ocean
Double-click plate tectonics exercise part 1.kmz
to open it in Google Earth (don’t load plate tectonics exercise
part2.kmz
yet or leave it not visible)
Make the Atlantic cross-section visible (located in the Cross-sections folder) and Show the Elevation Profile.
1.
On the cross-section below, mark the transitions from continental crust to oceanic crust
with an X
(Tip: Use
what you know about plate thickness. The actual sea level line does not necessarily tell you where the edge
of the continental crust is.)
2.
In the cross section below, mark the plate boundary between North American and African plates
with a
star
. (Tip: think about the shape of a mid ocean ridge)
(In word – go to insert -> shapes to draw the x or the star)
3.
Using earthquake, bathymetry, and ocean floor age data, describe the lines of evidence that support the
location you have chosen for the plate boundary.
Where the star is placed is where the two plates meet. It is at the point where the graph spikes. The “x” is
places at point s where the graph swoops and gets close to flat for a second.
4.
What type of earthquake (shallow or deep) occurs along this plate boundary?
This is a shallow earthquake. There is no evidence on convergence to make it a deep one.
5.
What does the overall profile look like in the middle?
The middle profile looks elevated in comparison to the rest.
6.
What rate (in mm/yr ) are each of the plates moving relative to the boundary?
(You will need to use the
ocean floor age data and the Ruler tool to determine this. Hint: spreading rate = distance/time)
SHOW
YOUR WORK OR EXPLAIN YOUR METHODS IN DETAIL
7.
What type of plate boundary is it?
Divergent Type of plate boundary
8.
Where else on the globe do you observe the same types of boundaries?
The red sea has a similar boundary type.
B. Sumatra
Make the Sumatra cross-section visible and Show the Elevation Profile.
9.
On the cross section below, mark the boundary between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates at the
Earth’s surface
with an X
. Mark the location of volcanoes
with a star
.
10. Using earthquake, bathymetry, and ocean floor age data, describe the lines of evidence that support the
location you have chosen for the plate boundary.
The earthquake that is associated with the graph above is a deep focus earthquake. There is a very obvious
steep fall along where the plates would drift apart which is creating a subduction zone.
11. On the cross-section, mark in the approximate location of the earthquakes (horizontally and vertically)
using dots
.
What do these earthquakes tell us?
These earthquakes tell us about the subduction zone that is enhancing the earthquake at the plate boundaries.
12. What type of plate boundary is it?
This is a convergent Boundary?
13. Where else on the globe do you observe the same types of boundaries?
C. California
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Zoom in on California (there is no cross-section, just make sure that the Continental Transform Fault path is
visible).
15. The transform fault that is shown here is the famous San Andreas Fault that separates the Pacific Plate
from North American Plate in this area. What type of earthquakes (shallow or deep) are associated with
transform faults?
Shallow earthquakes are what are associated with transform faults.
D. Pacific Northwest
Make the Juan de Fuca cross-section visible and Show the Elevation Profile.
16. Based on what you determined in the first two sections,
what type of plate boundaries
do you see
represented here?
Mark
where you think they are
on the cross-section
.
What is your evidence for each?
17. If the first two sections showed more “typical” plate boundaries, what characteristics of this area seem
unusual?
What seems unusual is the pace at which the plate is moving. It seems like a rather slow pace.
E. Himalaya
Make the Himalaya cross-section visible and Show the Elevation Profile.
18. You know from the reading that this is a continent-continent convergent margin. Using the cross section
below, mark on the cross-section where you think the plate boundary is
with an x
.
19. Watch the animation IndiaAsiaCollision_EMVC2008.mov
. Do you still agree with where you located the
plate boundary?
No, this does not change where I believe
the plate boundary is located.
X
20. What has been the evolution of this plate boundary over the last 60 million years?
A massive mountain rang has began to for and grow larger and larger as the two plates collide.
21. What depth of earthquakes are associated with the Himalayan-Tibetan region?
It has a shallow depth of around 30 KM.
F. Earthquakes in our study region
Make sure the part2.kmz
file is visible, hide part2.kmz.
22. Using the Earthquake data (which includes Mag 6 since 2000 and about half a year of smaller quakes),
which type of plate boundaries are associated with bigger earthquakes and more numerous earthquakes?
Convergent Plate Boundaries are associated with bigger earthquakes and more numerous earthquakes.
23. Would you pick out either of our two case regions (Pacific Northwest and Himalaya) as being particularly
seismically active based on the last decade of earthquakes?
Yes, based purely on them being seismically active, the Pacific Northwest region would fit the criteria over the
last decade.
24.
Where do earthquakes occur in reference to plate boundaries?
Earth quakes occur when plate boundaries begin to knock against one another.