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Vink, Gregory E.; And Others – Scientific American, 1985
Hot spots are isolated areas of geologic activity where volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and upwelling currents occur far from plate boundaries. These mantle plumes are relatively stable and crustal plates drift over them. The nature and location of hot spots (with particular attention to the Hawaiian Islands and Iceland) are discussed. (DH)
Descriptors: College Science, Earthquakes, Geology, Geophysics
Anderson, Don L.; Dziewonski, Adam M. – Scientific American, 1984
Describes how seismic tomography is used to analyze the waves produced by earthquakes. The information obtained from the procedure can then be used to map the earth's mantle in three dimensions. The resulting maps are then studied to determine such information as the convective flow that propels the crustal plates. (JN)
Descriptors: College Science, Earthquakes, Geology, Geophysics
Macdonald, Kenneth C.; Fox, Paul J. – Scientific American, 1990
Described are concepts involved with the formation and actions of the Mid-Ocean Ridge. Sea-floor spreading, the magma supply model, discontinuities, off-axis structures, overlaps and deviation, and aquatic life are discussed. (CW)
Descriptors: College Science, Earth Science, Earthquakes, Geology
Stein, Ross S.; Yeats, Robert S. – Scientific American, 1989
Points out that large earthquakes can take place not only on faults that cut the earth's surface but also on blind faults under folded terrain. Describes four examples of fold earthquakes. Discusses the fold earthquakes using several diagrams and pictures. (YP)
Descriptors: Earth Science, Earthquakes, Geology, Plate Tectonics
White, Robert S.; McKenzie, Dan P. – Scientific American, 1989
Investigates the nature of catastrophic volcanism and the rifting process. Describes two kinds of evidence: quantitative descriptions of rock melting and a wide range of observations. Discusses examples of continent growth in the North Atlantic, India and the Seychelles islands, and the South Atlantic. (YP)
Descriptors: Earth Science, Geographic Regions, Geology, Geophysics
Johnston, Arch C.; Kanter, Lisa R. – Scientific American, 1990
Discussed are some of the reasons for earthquakes which occur in stable crust away from familiar zones at the ends of tectonic plates. Crust stability and the reactivation of old faults are described using examples from India and Australia. (CW)
Descriptors: College Science, Earth Science, Earthquakes, Geology
Jordan, Thomas H.; Minster, J. Bernard – Scientific American, 1988
Suggests that there is a close relationship between deformation in the western United States and the large-scale motions of tectonic plates. Introduces very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) as one of the space-geodetic techniques, vector addition of the VLBI data and geological data, and a new geodetic network. (YP)
Descriptors: College Science, Earth Science, Geology, Geometric Constructions