Name:_____ANSWERS__________________

Lab. Session:_______
Student #______58 MARKS IN TOTAL_______
YORK UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Fall 2010

EATS 1010 3.0 Laboratory Exercise #4

PLATE TECTONICS

This lab is divided into three parts, each dealing with a different aspect of plate tectonics.
Read the lab over beforehand and bring a pencil, metric ruler and either your textbook or
your class notes to the laboratory. Allow yourself about one hour of time for each exercise.

Instructions are given for each part. Follow the procedures as outlined and fill in your
answers to all the questions on the work sheets provided.

Hand in your completed lab before the end of the session.

Be sure your name is on the front page and also on each of your answer sheets (in
case some of the pages come apart).

PART 1. ISLAND ARC/OCEAN TRENCH EARTHQUAKES [12 MARKS]

Introduction

In the western and northern Pacific Ocean there are many arc-shaped groups of islands. The
Aleutians, the Marianas, Japan and Indonesia are all examples. There are also island arcs in the
Caribbean and South Atlantic. Island arcs have two important characteristics: (1) they all have
deep ocean trenches nearby and (2) they are areas of volcanism and intense earthquake activity.

The location in the Earth where an earthquake occurs is called its focus. Geophysicists have
discovered that most of the world's intermediate and deep-focus earthquakes (below 100 km)
occur near island arc/trench systems.

For many years there was great curiosity about the unusual character of island arcs. There was
no explanation for them prior to the Theory of Plate Tectonics. It proposed that if oceanic plates
are created at a mid-ocean ridge, there must be some place where the far ends of the plates dive
back down into the mantle. This occurs in the vicinity of island arcs producing the trench as well
as volcanic and earthquake activity. Earthquake studies in such regions provide evidence of
subduction of the diving plate.
Objective

In this exercise you will:

1) plot and interpret an earthquake focus profile, and
2) explain the seismic characteristics of a subduction zone.

Procedure

1. The table below lists the locations of earthquakes that have occurred in the Marianas
Trench area. Plot the location of each on the Earthquake Focus Profile provided as page
4.

2. Study your earthquake focus profile and answer the questions on page 3 in the spaces
provided.

Earthquakes of the Marianas Trench Area

Horizontal Horizontal Horizontal

Depth (km) Distance from Depth (km) Distance from Depth (km) D i s t a n c e
from
Trench (km) Trench (km) Trench (km)

0 16 216 264 516 456

0 50 232 254 550 500
0 72 250 264 580 450
0 96 300 360 580 464
32 168 350 364 600 480
66 132 350 400 600 508
83 168 383 408 600 524
83 184 416 432 624 508
116 232 448 448 624 524
116 248 472 416 650 532
150 200 472 432 667 548
150 260 500 450
200 216 500 458
200 248 516 432
 Page 3
Questions
2.What is the relation between the depth of earthquakes and their distance from the Tonga
Trench?

EARTHQUAKE DEPTHS INCREASE AS DISTANCE FROM THE TRENCH

INCREASES. [1 MARK]

3. Draw a line through the points on your profile. Describe the appearance of the line:
LINE DESCENDS UNIFORMLY FROM THE TONGA TRENCH TO A DEPTH OF
ALMOST 700 KM [ 1 MARK]

4.Give an explanation for the distribution of the earthquake foci. Does the shape of the
earthquake focus pattern support the theory of the plate tectonic concepts that you learned
in class. Explain.

ACCORDING TO PLATE TECTONICS, COLD RIGID PLATES ARE SUBDUCTED

INTO THE MANTLE AT SUBDUCTION ZONES, MARKED BY AN OCEAN
TRENCH AT THE UPPER SURFACE.
[1 MARK]

THE PLATES ARE BRITTLE AND FRACTURE, PRODUCING THE PATTERN OF

EARTHQUAKES IN THE PLOT. [ 1 MARK]

THE PATTERN OF EARTHQUAKES IN THE PLOT SUPPORTS THIS IDEA.

[1 MARK]

5.What surface feature(s) result(s) from the melting of the sinking plate and/or mantle
immediately above the sinking plate?
VOLCANOES (or ISLAND ARCS) (or VOLCANIC ISLANDS) [1 MARK]

6.As the lithosphere plate dives into the mantle, it begins to warm and soften. At what depth is
the plate no longer brittle enough to support earthquakes? __~700 km (> 667 km is OK)

[1 MARK]
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PART 2: HOT SPOTS AND PLUMES [26 MARKS]

Introduction

Hot spots are zones where unusually high heat flow has been recorded at the Earth's surface.
Several dozen are known. These are often found well within the tectonic plates, as for example,
the Hawaiian Islands. They are isolated and not associated with spreading centres or subduction
zones.

The cause of hot spots is believed to be plumes of abnormally hot rock welling up from deep
within the mantle. Although the origin of these mantle plumes is uncertain, these sites often
experience spectacular volcanic activity. The volcanoes of Hawaii are a famous example. Here,
eruptions of Mauna Loa have occurred recently. Northwest of Hawaii a north-trending row of
volcanic peaks is found on the ocean floor far below sea level. They are called the Emperor
Seamounts. Though the Hawaiian Islands and the Emperor Seamounts meet at an angle, they
appear to be part of a single, continuous chain of volcanoes.

It is interesting to note that of the entire chain only the island of Hawaii and Loihi (which is
located to the southeast of Hawaii) are volcanically active. These islands are located farthest to
the southeast and have the highest heat flow. The unusual arrangement of these volcanic islands
and seamounts could be explained by the movement of the Pacific Ocean floor over a hot spot.
If so, this evidence would provide a verification for the theory of plate tectonics and sea floor
spreading.

Objective

In this exercise you will:

7.Explain how a mantle plume may produce a chain of volcanoes
8.Understand how the direction of movement of a tectonic plate can be determined
9.Describe how a change in plate-movement direction can be detected
10.Compute ocean floor spreading rates, and
11.Explain how hot spots help to verify plate tectonics theory.

Procedure

Use the map on page 6 and a metric ruler to determine the distance from the island of Hawaii to
each island or seamount listed below. Make all measurements along the trend of the island
chain. Fill in the distances on the chart and answer the questions on page 7.
Page 6
 Page 7
Distance (km) Date of Last Eruption
(Millions of Years ago)

Hawaii 0 Recent
West Maui 150 1.3
West Molokai 212 1.8
Waianae (Oahu) 294 3.5
Kauai 396 5.6
Nihoa 573 ±10% is OK 7.5
Necker 792 10.0
Midway 1775 17.7
Kanmu 2546 38.0
Koko 2758 46.0
Suiko 3482 40.0

[ 5 MARKS (1/2 each) ]

12. According to plate tectonic theory, which island or seamount on the map is the oldest?
____SUIKO (FARTHEST FROM HAWAII)_____ [1 MARK]

13. Which is the youngest island or seamount? ____HAWAII___________ [1 MARK]

14. The only currently active source of molten rock below the island-seamount chain is
located at the northwest end, the southeast end, the northeast end or near the middle.
(underline the correct choice).
[1 MARK]

15. Describe the relation of the other volcanic seamounts and islands to the island of Hawaii
according to age and distance.
AGE INCREASES WITH DISTANCE FROM HAWAII [1 MARK]

16. Where is the present source of lava for the island-seamount chain?
BELOW HAWAII [1 MARK]

17. In what direction does the Pacific Ocean floor seem to be moving?
TOWARDS THE NW ( or WNW) [1 MARK]

How do you know this?

NW TREND OF THE YOUNGER PART OF THE ISLAND CHAIN [1 MARK]
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18. What evidence is there that the Pacific Ocean Floor has changed direction? How long
ago did the direction of motion change?
A BEND IN THE ISLAND CHAIN AT THE ISLAND OF.KOKO [1 MARK]

BETWEEN 38 AND 46 MILLION YEARS AGO [1 MARK]

19. In what direction was it moving before that time? _____ NORTH ______ [1 MARK]

How can you tell? ____NORTH-SOUTH TREND OF THE EMPEROR SEA

MOUNTS_
[1 MARK]
20. Use the distance and age data from your chart above to determine the average spreading
rate of the Pacific Plate after the formation of Kanmu.
2546 km/ 38.0 Myr = 67 km/Myr = 6.7 cm/yr [1 MARK]

10. Determine the spreading rate between the formation of Koko and Kammu.
212 km/8 Myr = 26.5 km/Myr = 2.65 cm/yr [1 MARK]

21. Describe the motion of the Pacific Plate in terms of spreading rates and direction of
motion during the past 46 million years.

FROM 46 TO 38 Myr AGO, PLATE SPREADING RATE WAS LOW (2.65 cm/yr)
AND THE DIRECTION WAS CHANGING FROM NORTHWARD TO NORTHWEST.
FROM 38 Myr AGO TO THE PRESENT, THE PACIFIC PLATE MOVED MORE
QUICKLY ( 6.7 cm/yr) TOWARDS THE NW.
[4 MARKS]
22. Values in the distance and age data that are inconsistent with others are called anomalies.
List any that occur in your chart. Explain

SUIKO 3482 KM 40.0 My [1 MARK]

POSSIBILITIES: ERROR IN AGE DETERMINATION; OR DELAYED ERUPTION

ON SUIKO; OR HOT SPOT MODEL NOT PERFECT; OR ANY OTHER
REASONABLE EXPLANATION
[1 MARK]

23. Explain why these rates of plate motion calculated are termed “absolute” with respect to
the earth
HOT SPOTS DO NOT SEEM TO MOVE SIGNIFICANTLY RELATIVE TO EACH
 Page 9
OTHER. CONSEQUENTLY, HOT SPOTS ARE OFTEN ASSUMED TO BE
REFERENCE POINTS FIXED TO THE DEEP EARTH. THUS MOVEMENT
RELATIVE TO THESE FIXED POINTS ARE CONSIDERED ABSOLUTE RATHER
THAN RELATIVE
[2 MARKS]
PART 3. MID-OCEAN RIDGES [20 MARKS]

Introduction
As molten lava cools its iron minerals line up in the direction of the Earth's magnetic field. As
early as 1906, it was noticed that some rocks were magnetized in the opposite direction - as if
the Earth's north and south magnetic poles had switched places. Now it is known that the poles
have flipped many times during the geologic past creating periods of normal magnetism, as
today, and periods when the magnetic field was reversed.
In 1962, it was proposed that new oceanic crust is created at the mid-ocean ridges by lava
upwelling from the interior in a process called sea-floor spreading. If so, the rocks of a mid-
ocean ridge should preserve a record of the periods of normal and reversed magnetism. If we
measure the strength of the Earth's magnetic field across the ridge, a series of anomalies or
differences should occur. Where rocks that solidified during normal magnetism are found there
should be high values because these add to the current field strength. Where rocks that solidified
during reversed magnetism are found, there should be low values because these reduce the local
effect of the Earth's present magnetic field.
When the magnetic anomalies are mapped, alternating bands of high and low magnetism should
appear that are symmetrical with the axis of the ridge. Such a pattern would provide strong
evidence that sea-floor spreading is the process that forms ocean basins and moves continents.

Objectives

In this exercise you will:

24. Construct and interpret a map based on paleomagnetic data
25. Recognize the role of the anomalous paleomagnetic data
26. Describe a mid-ocean rift and what happens there, and
27. Explain a means of dating volcanic rocks.

Procedure
On page 13, there are four curves marked V-1, V-2, V-3, and V-4 that indicate the magnetic field
strength across a section of the mid-ocean ridge in the Pacific Ocean. When the curve is above
zero, it indicates the rocks of the ocean floor were formed during a time of normal magnetism (a
positive anomaly). When the curve drops below zero, the rocks were formed when the field was
reversed (a negative anomaly).
 Page 10
28. The outline map (page 12) contains the tracks of the vessels which recorded the four curves
of page 13. Place the map over the curves so track V-1 lines up with its corresponding set
of curves. Make sure the point where the ridge axis crosses the vessel track corresponds
also. On the track V-1, mark off the points where the V-1 curve intersects the line of zero
field strength. Start at the ridge axis and work outward in both directions. These points are
the divisions between normal and reversely magnetized rocks on the sea floor below.
Repeat this same procedure for tracks V-2, V-3 and V-4.

29. Connect the points on the V-1 track to the corresponding points on the V-2 track, and then
to those of tracks V-3 and V-4. Place a + sign between the pair of points bounding each
positive anomaly. With a pencil, shade in the area of each positive anomaly.

30. Answer the following questions.

Questions:

1. Which is correct? The appearance of the magnetic anomalies on the map may be best
described as (a) scattered points, (b) rounded forms, (c) a wavy line or (d) stripes
(underline correct choice).
[1 MARK]

31. Select the following choice(s) that best describe the arrangement of the anomalies on the
map: (a) no apparent order, (b) lie parallel to the ridge axis, (c) cut across the ridge axis, (d)
similar on both sides of the ridge axis, and/or (e) very different on opposite sides of the
ridge axis.
___________b AND d [1 MARK]
32. Which band of rock is the youngest? CENTRAL BAND (ALONG AXIS OF RIDGE]
[1 MARK]
Why? _NEW SEA FLOOR IS CREATED AT THE RIDGE AXIS AS OLDER SEA
FLOOR MOVES ASIDE.
[1 MARK]
33. Which band of rock is the Oldest? OUTER BANDS OR BANDS FARTHEST FROM
THE RIDGE AXIS.
[1 MARK]
34. Explain how the pattern of magnetic anomalies across the Mid-Ocean Ridge supports the
theory of Plate Tectonics.
ACCORDING TO PLATE TECTONICS WE EXPECT SYMMETRIC BANDS
OF ALTERNATING MAGNETIC ANOMALIS WITH RESPECT TO THE RIDGE
AXIS. [2 MARKS]
35. Using the Geomagnetic Time Scale (page 11) identify and mark each band using its
abbreviation.
36. Using the map scale to find distance, and the Geomagnetic Time Scale to find
 Page 11
corresponding time durations, calculate the average spreading rate for the past 3 million
years in this region of the Pacific Ocean.
11 cm/yr ( i.e., 5.5 cm/yr IN EACH DIRECTION) [2 MARKS]
37. Do magnetic reversals occur at uniform intervals throughout geologic time? ___NO
[1 MARK]

MAGNETIC ANOMALIES MAP

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