A powerful earthquake struck Taiwan, leaving a trail of destruction and raising questions about the island’s vulnerability to tremors. This explainer dives deep into the science behind the quake, exploring the concept of the Ring of Fire – a zone of immense geological activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean.
We’ll uncover why this region experiences frequent earthquakes and how it’s linked to the devastating event in Taiwan.
Why is Taiwan prone to earthquakes?
Taiwan is located in a region where three major tectonic plates meet: the Philippine Sea plate to the east and southeast, the Eurasia plate to the north and west, and the Sunda plate to the southwest.
This location makes Taiwan susceptible to moderate-to-large earthquakes, as confirmed by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
Taiwan falls within the “Ring of Fire,” a zone encircling the Pacific Ocean known for frequent seismic activity. It’s where a significant portion of the world’s earthquakes occur.
What is the Ring of Fire?
The Ring of Fire is a long line of hundreds of volcanoes and earthquake zones that border the Pacific Ocean. It’s shaped like a horseshoe and extends over approximately 40,250 kilometers.
The Ring of Fire marks where several tectonic plates meet. These include major plates like the Eurasian and North American, as well as smaller ones like Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Caribbean, Nazca, Antarctic, Indian, Australian, and Philippine plates. They all encircle the vast Pacific Plate.
This geological phenomenon passes through 15 countries, including the United States, Indonesia, Mexico, Japan, Canada, Guatemala, Russia, Chile, Peru, and the Philippines.
What causes frequent earthquakes in the Ring of Fire?
The Ring of Fire experiences numerous earthquakes because the tectonic plates constantly interact with each other. They slide past, collide, or move above or below one another. The edges of these plates are rough, so they often get stuck while the rest of the plate keeps moving. When the stuck edges suddenly release, it triggers an earthquake along one of the faults.
How does this relate to Taiwan’s earthquakes?
Taiwan’s earthquakes are a result of the interactions between two specific tectonic plates: the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. These plates’ movements and interactions create seismic activity in the region.
What causes the abundance of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire?
The high number of volcanoes in the Ring of Fire is primarily due to the movement of tectonic plates. Many of these volcanoes form through a process called subduction. This occurs when two plates collide, and the heavier one is forced beneath the other, creating a deep trench.
How does subduction lead to volcano formation?
During subduction, as one tectonic plate is pushed beneath another, it heats up in the hotter mantle below. This process causes volatile elements to mix, resulting in the production of magma. The magma then rises through the overlying plate and erupts at the surface, forming volcanoes.
Why does the Ring of Fire host so many subduction zones and volcanoes?
The majority of subduction zones on Earth are located within the Ring of Fire. This concentration of subduction zones is why the Ring of Fire is home to a large number of volcanoes.