Discuss the geophysical characteristics of the Circum-Pacific zone (CSE MAINS 2020)
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Approach:
Introduction: Mention about Ring of Fire as a zone of:
- String of Volcanoes (around 452)
- Seismic activity
- 90% of all earthquakes of the world
- 75% of all active volcanoes
Body: Geophysical characteristics:
- Horseshoe shaped ( around 40000kms) on the edges of Pacific ocean from the
- southern tip of South America along the west coast of North America, Bering Strait to
- Japan, southern New Zealand.
- Result of activities of Plate Tectonics.
- Subduction Zones and convergent plate boundary: Add a small diagram showing
- subduction of oceanic plate under continental plate.
- O-C collision: Denser oceanic plate subduct under lighter continental plate.
- Mantle Dynamics: Melting of plate produces magma which rises up to the surface as a volcano.
