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Lecture 1 Structural Geology

The document provides an introduction to plate tectonics, explaining how the Earth's lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move due to various forces, leading to geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes. It outlines the three main types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform, detailing their characteristics and the structures they form. Key evidence supporting plate tectonics, including continental drift and seafloor spreading, is also discussed.

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1 views

Lecture 1 Structural Geology

The document provides an introduction to plate tectonics, explaining how the Earth's lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move due to various forces, leading to geological phenomena such as earthquakes and volcanoes. It outlines the three main types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform, detailing their characteristics and the structures they form. Key evidence supporting plate tectonics, including continental drift and seafloor spreading, is also discussed.

Uploaded by

rockhuggerextraordinaire
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY

LECTURE 1

JOSHUAL JOSY
1 Lesson 1: Introduction to Plate Tectonics
What is Plate Tectonics? The Earth’s outer shell (lithosphere) is broken into tectonic
plates that move due to forces from the mantle convection, slab pull, and ridge push.
These plate movements cause earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain formation, and ocean
basin evolution.
Key Evidence Supporting Plate Tectonics Continental Drift (Wegener, 1912)

• – Fossil geological similarities across continents. Seafloor Spreading (Hess, 1962)

• – New oceanic crust forms at ridges and moves outward. Paleomagnetism

• – Magnetic minerals in rocks record past changes in Earth’s magnetic field.

Earthquake Volcano Distribution – Most are concentrated at plate boundaries.


Question for You: How did Wegener’s theory of continental drift help shape plate
tectonics?

2 Lesson 2: Types of Plate Boundaries


Divergent Boundaries (Constructive Margins)

• Plates move apart,

• creating new lithosphere.

• Occurs mostly in oceanic ridges or continental rifts.

• Magma upwelling due to mantle convection leads to volcanic activity. Examples:


Mid-Atlantic Ridge (Iceland sits on this ridge). East African Rift (Future ocean
basin in Africa).
Structures Formed:
Mid-ocean ridges (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Rift valleys (e.g., East African Rift).
Question for You: What type of faults dominate divergent boundaries?

Convergent Boundaries (Destructive Margins)


Plates move toward each other, causing subduction or collision. Leads to deep-sea
trenches, mountain ranges, and volcanic arcs.
Types of Convergent Boundaries:
(i) Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence Denser oceanic plate subducts under another
oceanic plate. Forms deep-sea trenches and volcanic island arcs. Example: Mariana
Trench Mariana Islands.
(ii) Oceanic-Continental Convergence
Oceanic crust subducts under continental crust. Produces volcanic mountain chains
(continental arcs). Example: Andes Mountains (Nazca Plate subducting under
South American Plate).
(iii) Continental-Continental Collision

2
Neither plate subducts; instead, they crumple to form mountains. Example: Hi-
malayas (Indian Plate colliding with the Eurasian Plate). Question for You:
What controls whether a plate will subduct or not?

Transform Boundaries (Conservative Margins)


Key Characteristics:

– Plates slide horizontally past each other.


– No lithosphere is created or destroyed.
– Causes strike-slip faults and shallow earthquakes.

Examples:
– San Andreas Fault (California, USA).
– North Anatolian Fault (Turkey).

Structures Formed:
– Strike-slip faults.
– Offset rivers & ridges.

Question for You:


Why do transform boundaries mainly produce earthquakes rather than
volcanoes?

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