New visualizations of global tectonic plate motions and plate boundary interactions |
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| Authors: | Donald M Henderson |
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| Institution: | Department of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK |
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| Abstract: | Clear understanding of detailed lithospheric plate motions has been impeded by lack of a suitable means of graphical representation. A series of coloured global maps are presented that reveal more detail in the patterns of both absolute and relative global plate motions. The use of continuous colour to represent velocities overcomes the limitations of earlier maps that used isolated vectors at selected points to indicate plate velocities. Velocity magnitudes and directions for entire surfaces of plates were computed at a resolution of 0.5°, and are shown on two separate maps. Relative motions between plates were decomposed into their shear and normal components, and are plotted on separate maps. Continuous colour is again used to indicate both the directions and magnitudes of sinistral/dextral and convergent/divergent motions for all plate boundaries. A final map of normalized velocity magnitudes for all plates reveals a global, fast 'belt' of plate motion that parallels a great circle aligned with the fastest portion of the Pacific Plate and orthogonal to the East Pacific Rise. |
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