Tag: tectonic plates
Plate tectonics: for continents too, rupture can be difficult
Continental breakup is one of the fundamental processes of plate tectonics. While some continents seem to accept divorce quite easily, breaking up is much more difficult for others. You will…
For the continents too, the break can be difficult
Continental breakup is one of the fundamental processes of plate tectonics. While some continents seem to accept divorce quite easily, breaking up is much more difficult for others. You will…
How fast do the continents move?
We are not aware of it, but the tectonic plates move slowly under our feet, at the speed of a few centimeters per year, driven by major tectonic and convective…
50 million years ago, the Pacific plate suddenly changed direction. Why ?
In the Pacific, the route of the Hawaii-Emperor volcanic chain has long been used as an indisputable witness to the movement of tectonic plates. However, it shows that a major…
Earth’s center is cooling faster than previously thought
New thermal conductivity measurements suggest Earth is cooling faster than previously thought, suggesting that our planet’s tectonic activity may be coming to a halt sooner than expected. You will also…
When the waltz of the supercontinents impacts the structure of the deep mantle
How do the tectonic processes governing the Earth’s surface impact the dynamics of the deep mantle? A new study illustrates the importance of subduction zones during major tectonic cycles. You…
Earth is cooling faster than previously thought
New thermal conductivity measurements suggest Earth is cooling faster than previously thought, suggesting that our planet’s tectonic activity may be coming to a halt sooner than expected. You will also…
The formation of diamonds is linked to the fragmentation of supercontinents
Diamonds are formed in the bowels of the Earth, at very great depth and high temperature. They rise to the surface through volcanic eruptions. They are thus found prisoners of…
How many supercontinents has the Earth already carried?
The waltz of the continents is part of the geological history of the Earth. Carried away by the tectonics of the plates, the continental masses did not stop gathering in…
The formation of diamonds is linked to the great tectonic cycles
Diamonds are formed in the bowels of the Earth, at very great depth and high temperature. They rise to the surface through volcanic eruptions. They are thus found prisoners of…