Tectonic Plates Rigidity and Deformation on Earth, Essay Example

According to the extensive studies and researches conducted by Gordon and Kreemer, pieces of tectonic plates making up the outer layer of the earth are not rigid. They do not fit together nicely as it was previously thought. A study published by Corne Kreemer and Richard Gordon on the Geology journal challenges the rigidity of plate tectonic and quantifies the deformation of the Pacific plates. A major research conducted by the students in Nevada Geodetic Laboratory showed that the cooling of the lithosphere makes sections of pacific plates contract horizontally. Lithosphere is the outermost layer of the earth. When the lithosphere cools, pacific plates section contracts at a faster rate in relation to other sections of the earth surfaces. The highest rate of contraction causes the deformation of the plate. Gordon gave an idea that the cooling of the plate that makes the ocean deeper affects the horizontal movement and the plates deform and shorten due to the cooling.

The two researchers put their expertise and ideas together to show the deformation could describe why some parts of tectonic plate puzzle do not fall. Basing on the spreading rates along mid-oceanic ridges, tectonic plate puzzles did not fall in the recent models of plate motions. The study indicated the existence a positive correlation between the points where the intra-plate earthquake occurs and where it is predicted that the plate deformation will occur. The work of the two researchers was supported fully by the National Science Foundation. The results of various studies conducted part of tectonic plate may be partly released seismically due to significant horizontal thermal contraction of plate-scale. According to Kreemer, the plate tectonic 2.0 revolutionizes the concepts of plate rigidity[1]. In addition, the researcher claimed that they have shown that the pacific plate deforms as it is pliable. The researchers produced an explanation for mid-plate seismicity by refining plate tectonic theory. Kreemer argued that the shortening of oceanic plates due to cooling causes the relative motion inside the plate. The researcher gave an example of oceanic plate movement in California.  The oceanic crust of the Pacific plate at the offshore of California moves 2mm to the south in every year in relation to the Antarctic/Pacific plate boundary.

The researchers argued that the movement might not sound like much, but it is significant, as they can measure the crustal motion with GPS within the fraction of millimeter in every year. It is unfortunate that all the GPS existing stations in the Pacific islands are in the old stage of the plate, which do not show or expected to deform. Within the young plates, new measurements are needed to confirm the predictions of this study through the sensors on the floor of the ocean or the very remote islands. The research is complimentary to Kreemer’s ongoing efforts aiming to quantify the deformation in the entire plate boundary having GPS velocities on the earth. The larger parts of the data are processed in the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory. The main goal and objective of the global modeling is to convert most of the strain rates to earthquake forecast maps.

Plate tectonics are very important as they are used to determine the location of oil and gas reservoirs as they hold the largest hydrocarbons on earth. It is the main reason why arctic, deserts, and river deltas in most cases contain oil and gas reservoirs. The study on the rigidity and deformation of tectonic plates is very important in the department earth and minerals sciences especially petroleum and natural gas. It is because the students will understand better how to locate oil and gases using the tectonic plates[2].

In conclusion, Kreemer argued that they do not have the GPS data in the right places of the pacific plate. However, their prediction of how the plates deforms can be used to supplement the strain rates that they have estimated in some parts of the world. The estimated rates are used to quantify them with GPS data. The researchers are hoping to have better or good estimates of the strain rates everywhere so that the models may be used in places they expect them the least and to forecast earthquakes.

Reference

Rodrigo, C., & Lara, L. E. (2014). Plate tectonics and the origin of the Juan Fernández Ridge: analysis of bathymetry and magnetic patterns. Latin American Journal Of Aquatic Research, 42(4), 907-917.

[1] Rodrigo, C., & Lara, L. E. (2014). Plate tectonics and the origin of the Juan Fernández Ridge: analysis of bathymetry and magnetic patterns. Latin American Journal Of Aquatic Research, 42(4), 907-917.

[2] Rodrigo, C., & Lara, L. E. (2014). Plate tectonics and the origin of the Juan Fernández Ridge: analysis of bathymetry and magnetic patterns. Latin American Journal Of Aquatic Research, 42(4), 907-917.