Week #2 Tectonic plate boundaries

Tonga's tectonic plate boundaries

Tonga sits at the junction of two major tectonic plates the Indo-Australian plate in the West and the Pacific Plate in the East. It is part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire” that encircles the entire ocean basin. schmidtocean.org 

Map of the tectonic elements of the western Pacific margin between the Pacific Plate in the east and the Indo-Austrlaian Plate in the west. The complex microplate mosaic is a product of collision with the Ontong Java and Melanesian Border Plateaus in the Miocene, which caused a reorientation of many of the subduction zones. Green arrows show the direction and rate of subduction in cm/yr. Blue arrows indicate back-arc extension. The Niua Volcanic Complex is located at the “knife edge” of the Indo-Australian Plate and Vitiaz Fracture Zone where it cuts the advancing Pacific Plate. Modified after Ruellan and Lagabirelle (2005).

Map of the tectonic elements of the western Pacific margin between the Pacific Plate in the east and the Indo-Austrlaian Plate in the west. schmidtocean.org 


Image result for where is tonga tectonic plate boundaries

Comments

  1. jwlylFebruary 5, 2023 at 7:42 AM

    Hi Yesy,
    Thank you for your post about the plate boundaries of Tonga. I would like to one day visit this area, as I have worked with a number of students who have come from here and they love the area and, especially, the people. I have been to Hawaii and to Tahiti so I imagine there would be similarities, but also some interesting differences as well. Speaking of similarities and differences, Tonga shares with Iceland the occurrences of volcanoes, however Iceland is situated on a divergent plate boundary whereas Tonga is situated on a convergent plate boundary. It is so interesting learning about the earth, isn’t it? I am looking forward to learning more about Tonga from you!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts