Lab 4

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University of New Mexico, Main Campus *

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1110

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Geology

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Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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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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