First of all I found this article interesting because occurs close to home. Secondly, if these theories are further tested and accepted it may change some of what we learn in the class we are in. I think this article is a great example of the scientific method at use which we learned at the beginning of class. This is proof that there is always more to learn when it comes to science. Further testing and research never hurt anyone.
The article is about the Faralon plate, so I did further research to learn more about this plate. The Faralon plate is an ancient oceanic plate that subducted under the North American Plate when Pangea was breaking apart durning the Jurassic Period. Subduction continued on into the Teritary The pieces of the plate that remain are called Juan de Fuca, Explorer, Gorda, Cocos, and Nazca plates. The subduction zone on the northern coast of the US and the Faralon plate is thought to be the cause of the San Andreas Fault. The subduction of the Faralon plate is also believed to have caused the Rocky Mountains because the plate subducted at a shallow angle. The Farallon Islands west of San Fransisco are all that are left of the plate and are predicted to slide completely under America in the next 5 million years or so.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-03/bu-soa031813.php
http://www.howitworksdaily.com/q-and-a/what-is-the-farallon-plate/
http://whatonearth.olehnielsen.dk/plates/farallon.asp
http://www.sjvgeology.org/geology/tectonics.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farallon_Plate
No comments:
Post a Comment