Outline of plate tectonics

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This is a list of articles related to plate tectonics and tectonic plates.

What is plate tectonics?

Simplified map of Earth's principal tectonic plates, which were mapped in the second half of the 20th century (red arrows indicate direction of movement at plate boundaries)

Plate tectonics (from the Late Latin: tectonicus, from the Ancient Greek: τεκτονικός, lit. 'pertaining to building') is the generally accepted scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large tectonic plates which have been slowly moving since about 3.4 billion years ago. The model builds on the concept of continental drift, an idea developed during the first decades of the 20th century. Plate tectonics came to be generally accepted by geoscientists after seafloor spreading was validated in the mid to late 1960s.

Earth's lithosphere, which is the rigid outermost shell of the planet (the crust and upper mantle), is broken into seven or eight major plates (depending on how they are defined) and many minor plates or "platelets". Where the plates meet, their relative motion determines the type of plate boundary: convergent, divergent, or transform. Earthquakes, volcanic activity, mountain-building, and oceanic trench formation occur along these plate boundaries (or faults). The relative movement of the plates typically ranges from zero to 10 cm annually.

Tectonic plates are composed of the oceanic lithosphere and the thicker continental lithosphere, each topped by its own kind of crust. Along convergent boundaries, the process of subduction, or one plate moving under another, carries the edge of the lower one down into the mantle; the area of material lost is balanced by the formation of new (oceanic) crust along divergent margins by seafloor spreading. In this way, the total geoid surface area of the lithosphere remains constant. This prediction of plate tectonics is also referred to as the conveyor belt principle. Earlier theories, since disproven, proposed gradual shrinking (contraction) or gradual expansion of the globe.

Tectonic plates are able to move because Earth's lithosphere has greater mechanical strength than the underlying asthenosphere. Lateral density variations in the mantle result in convection; that is, the slow creeping motion of Earth's solid mantle. Plate movement is thought to be driven by a combination of the motion of the seafloor away from spreading ridges due to variations in topography (the ridge is a topographic high) and density changes in the crust (density increases as newly-formed crust cools and moves away from the ridge). At subduction zones the relatively cold, dense oceanic crust sinks down into the mantle over the downward convecting limb of a mantle cell. The relative importance of each of these factors and their relationship to each other is unclear, and still the subject of much debate. (Full article...)

General concepts

  • Asthenosphere – Highly viscous, mechanically weak and ductile region of Earth's mantle
  • Aulacogen – Failed arm of a triple junction, an inactive rift zone
  • Back-arc basin – Submarine features associated with island arcs and subduction zones
  • Bimodal volcanism – Eruption of both mafic and felsic lavas from a single volcanic centre
  • Continent – Very large landmass identified by convention
  • Crust – The outermost solid shell of a rocky planet, dwarf planet, or natural satellite
  • Epeirogenic movement – Upheavals or depressions of land exhibiting long wavelengths and little folding
  • Fault (geology) – Fracture or discontinuity in rock across which there has been displacement
    • Fault mechanics – Field of study that investigates the behavior of geologic faults
    • Active fault – Geological fault likely to be the source of an earthquake sometime in the future
  • Flux melting – The process by which the melting point is reduced by the admixture of a material known as a flux
  • Geodynamics – Study of dynamics of the Earth
  • Island arc – Arc-shaped archipelago formed by intense seismic activity of long chains of active volcanoes
  • Mantle – Layer inside a planet between core and crust
  • Mohorovičić discontinuity – Boundary between the Earth's crust and the mantle
  • Mountain – Large natural elevation of the Earth's surface
  • Mid-ocean ridge, also known as Oceanic ridge – Basaltic underwater mountain system formed by plate tectonic spreading
  • Oceanic trench – Long and narrow depressions of the sea floor
  • Paleoclimatology – Study of changes in ancient climate
  • Paleomap – Map of continents and mountain ranges in the past based on plate reconstructions
  • Seamount – Mountain rising from the ocean seafloor that does not reach to the water's surface
  • Slab (geology) – The portion of a tectonic plate that is being subducted
  • Slab gap hypothesis – Theory in plate tectonics
  • Slab window – Type of gap in a subducted oceanic plate
  • Supercontinent – Landmass comprising more than one continental core, or craton
  • Terrane – Fragment of crust formed on one tectonic plate and accreted to another
  • Volcano – Rupture in the crust of a planet that allows lava, ash, and gases to escape from below the surface

Tectonic plate interactions

Tectonic plate interactions – Movements of the earth's lithosphere

  • Continental drift – Movement of Earth's continents relative to each other
  • Convergent boundary – Region of active deformation between colliding tectonic plates
  • Divergent boundary – Linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other
  • Extensional tectonics – Geological process of stretching planet crust
  • Isostasy – State of gravitational equilibrium between Earth's crust and mantle
  • Leaky transform fault – Transform fault producing new crust
  • Mantle convection – Gradual movement of the planet's mantle
  • Obduction – Overthrusting of oceanic lithosphere onto continental lithosphere at a convergent plate boundary
  • Orogeny – The formation of mountain ranges
  • Passive margin – Transition between oceanic and continental lithosphere that is not an active plate margin
  • Plume tectonics – Geophysical theory of movement of mantle plumes under tectonic plates
  • Ridge push – Proposed driving force for tectonic plate motion
  • Seafloor spreading – Geological process at mid-ocean ridges
  • Strike-slip tectonics – Structure and processes associated with zones of lateral displacement in the Earth's crust
  • Subduction – A geological process at convergent tectonic plate boundaries where one plate moves under the other
  • Tectonic uplift – Geologic uplift of Earth's surface that is attributed to plate tectonics
  • Thrust tectonics – Concept in structural geology
  • Transform fault, also known as Transform boundary – Plate boundary where the motion is predominantly horizontal
  • Triple junction – Meeting point of three tectonic plates

Back arc basins

Back-arc basin – Submarine features associated with island arcs and subduction zones

Continents

Continent – Very large landmass identified by convention

Supercontinent – Landmass comprising more than one continental core, or craton

  • Eurasia – Combined landmasses of Europe and Asia

Paleocontinents

Paleocontinent – A distinct area of continental crust that existed as a major landmass in the geological past

  • Asiamerica – Supercontinent that existed in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene epochs
  • Amazonian Craton – Geologic province in South America
  • Appalachia (Mesozoic)
  • Arctica – Ancient continent in the Neoarchean era
  • Armorican terrane – Microcontinent or group of continental fragments rifted away from Gondwana
  • Asiamerica – Supercontinent that existed in the Late Cretaceous to Eocene epochs
  • Atlantica – Ancient continent formed during the Proterozoic about 2 billion years ago
  • Australia (continent) – One of Earth’s seven main divisions of land (Also known as Sahul)
  • Avalonia – Microcontinent in the Paleozoic era named for the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland
  • Baltica – Late-Proterozoic to early-Palaeozoic continent
  • Cathaysia – Late Paleozoic microcontinent
  • Chilenia – Ancient microcontinent, containing central Chile and western Argentina
  • Chiloé Block – Ancient microcontinent or terrane that collided with the South American Plate during the Proterozoic
  • Cimmeria (continent) – Ancient string of microcontinents that rifted from Gondwana
  • Congo Craton – Precambrian craton that with four others makes up the modern continent of Africa
  • Chilenia – Ancient microcontinent, containing central Chile and western Argentina
  • Cuyania – Ancient microcontinent now part of Argentina
  • Laramidia – Island continent that existed until the end of the Late Cretaceous period
  • Iberian Plate – Small tectonic plate now part of the Eurasian plate
  • Insular India – Isolated land mass which became the Indian subcontinent
  • Kalahari Craton – African geological area
  • Kazakhstania – Geological region in Central Asia
  • Kerguelen Plateau – Oceanic plateau in the southern Indian Ocean
  • Laramidia – Island continent that existed until the end of the Late Cretaceous period
  • Laurentia – A large continental craton that forms the ancient geological core of the North American continent
  • Mauritia (microcontinent) – A Precambrian microcontinent that broke away as India and Madagascar separated
  • North China Craton – Continental crustal block in northeast China, Inner Mongolia, the Yellow Sea, and North Korea
  • Pampia – Ancient microcontinent or terrane
  • Río de la Plata Craton – Medium-sized continental block in Uruguay, eastern Argentina and southern Brazil
  • São Francisco Craton – Ancient craton in eastern South America
  • Siberia (continent) – Ancient craton forming the Central Siberian Plateau
  • South China (continent)
  • Sunda (continent)
  • Supercontinent – Landmass comprising more than one continental core, or craton
    • Columbia (supercontinent) – Ancient supercontinent of approximately 2,500 to 1,500 million years ago
    • Euramerica
    • Gondwana – Neoproterozoic to Cretaceous landmass
    • Kenorland – Hypothetical Neoarchaean supercontinent from about 2.8 billion years ago
    • Laurasia – Northern landmass that formed part of the Pangaea supercontinent
    • Nena (supercontinent) – Early Proterozoic supercontinent
    • Pangaea – Supercontinent from the late Paleozoic to early Mesozoic eras
    • Pannotia – Hypothesized Neoproterozoic supercontinent from the end of the Precambrian
    • Rodinia – Hypothetical Neoproterozoic supercontinent
    • Ur (continent) – Proposed archaean supercontinent from about 3.1 billion years ago
    • Vaalbara – Archaean supercontinent from about 3.6 to 2.7 billion years ago

Earthquakes

Earthquake – Sudden movement of the Earth's crust

Oceans

Ocean – Body of salt water covering the majority of Earth

Ancient oceans

List of ancient oceans – List of Earth's former oceans

  • Adamastor Ocean – Precambrian "proto-Atlantic" ocean in the Southern Hemisphere
  • Boreal Sea – Mesozoic-era seaway that lay along the northern border of Laurasia
  • Bridge River Ocean – Ancient ocean between North America and the Insular Islands during the Mesozoic
  • Iapetus Ocean – Ocean that existed in the late Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic eras
  • Central American Seaway – Body of water that once separated North America from South America
  • Goianides Ocean – Ocean in South America in Neoproterozoic
  • Goiás Ocean
  • Hudson Seaway – Major seaway of North America during the Cretaceous Period
  • Iapetus Ocean – Ocean that existed in the late Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic eras
  • Khanty Ocean – Small Precambrian ocean between Baltica and the Siberian continent
  • Lapland-Kola Ocean
  • Mirovia – Hypothesized superocean surrounding the supercontinent Rodinia in the Neoproterozoic Era
  • Paleo-Tethys Ocean – Ocean on the margin of Gondwana between the Middle Cambrian and Late Triassic
  • Pan-African Ocean – Hypothesized paleo-ocean whose closure created the supercontinent of Pannotia
  • Pannonian Sea – Shallow ancient sea where the Pannonian Basin in Central Europe is today
  • Panthalassa – Prehistoric superocean that surrounded Pangaea
  • Paratethys
  • Pharusian Ocean – Ancient ocean that existed from 800 to 635 million years ago
  • Piemont-Liguria Ocean – Former piece of oceanic crust that is seen as part of the Tethys Ocean
  • Poseidon Ocean – Supposed ocean that existed in the Mesoproterozoic period
  • Pre-Svecofennian Ocean
  • Proto-Tethys Ocean – Ancient ocean that existed from the latest Ediacaran to the Carboniferous
  • Rheic Ocean – Ancient ocean which separated two major palaeocontinents, Gondwana and Laurussia
  • Slide Mountain Ocean – An ancient ocean that existed between the Intermontane Islands and North America
  • Sundance Sea – Inland sea that existed in North America during the mid-to-late Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era
  • Tethys Ocean – Mesozoic ocean between Gondwana and Laurasia
  • Tornquist Sea – Sea between the palaeocontinents Avalonia and Baltica about 600 to 450 million years ago
  • Turgai Sea – Large shallow body of salt water of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Eras
  • Ural Ocean – Small, ancient ocean between Siberia and Baltica
  • Valais Ocean – Subducted ocean basin. Remnants found in the Alps in the North Penninic nappes.
  • Western Interior Seaway – Large prehistoric inland sea that split the continent of North America

Superoceans

Superocean – Ocean that surrounds a supercontinent

  • Mirovia – Hypothesized superocean surrounding the supercontinent Rodinia in the Neoproterozoic Era
  • Pan-African Ocean – Hypothesized paleo-ocean whose closure created the supercontinent of Pannotia
  • Panthalassa – Prehistoric superocean that surrounded Pangaea

Orogenies

Orogeny – The formation of mountain ranges

  • List of orogenies – Known mountain building events of the Earth's history
  • Mountain formation – Geological processes that underlie the formation of mountains
  • Fold mountains – Mountains formed by compressive crumpling of the layers of rock
  • Algoman orogeny – Late Archaean episode of mountain building in what is now North America

Rifts

Rift – Geological linear zone where the lithosphere is being pulled apart

Active rifts

  • Propagating rift – Seafloor feature associated with spreading centers at mid-ocean ridges and back-arc basins

Continental rifts

  • East African Rift – Active continental rift zone in East Africa
  • Laptev Sea Rift – Divergent tectonic plate boundary between the North American Plate and the Eurasian Plate
  • Afar Triangle – Geological depression caused by the Afar Triple Junction

Oceanic ridges

Aulacogens

Aulacogen – Failed arm of a triple junction, an inactive rift zone

Subduction zones

Subduction zone – A geological process at convergent tectonic plate boundaries where one plate moves under the other

  • Middle America Trench – Subduction zone in the eastern Pacific off the southwestern coast of Middle America

Suture zones

Suture (geology) – Joining together of separate terranes along a major fault zone

Tectonic plates

Tectonic plate – Continuous section of the lithosphere of the Earth which is moving relative to adjacent plates

  • List of tectonic plates – List of the relatively moving sections of the lithosphere of Earth
  • African Plate – A major tectonic plate underlying Africa west of the East African Rift
  • Anatolian Plate – Continental tectonic plate comprising most of the Anatolia (Asia Minor) peninsula
  • Antarctic Plate – Major tectonic plate containing Antarctica and the surrounding ocean floor
  • Arabian Plate – Minor tectonic plate
  • Burma Plate – Minor tectonic plate in Southeast Asia
  • Cocos Plate – Young oceanic tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Central America
  • Eurasian Plate – Tectonic plate which includes most of the continent of Eurasia
  • Explorer Plate – Oceanic tectonic plate beneath the Pacific Ocean off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Canada
  • Farallon Plate – Ancient oceanic plate that has mostly subducted under the North American Plate
  • Gorda Plate – One of the northern remnants of the Farallon Plate
  • Indian Plate – A minor tectonic plate that got separated from Gondwana
  • Juan de Fuca Plate – Tectonic plate in the eastern North Pacific
  • Halmahera Plate – Small tectonic plate in the Molucca Sea
  • Indo-Australian Plate – A major tectonic plate formed by the fusion of the Indian and Australian plates
  • Pacific Plate – Oceanic tectonic plate under the Pacific Ocean
  • Molucca Sea Plate – Small fully subducted tectonic plate near Indonesia
  • Nazca Plate – Oceanic tectonic plate in the eastern Pacific Ocean basin
  • North American Plate – Large tectonic plate including most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia
  • Philippine Sea Plate – Oceanic tectonic plate to the east of the Philippines
  • South American Plate – Major tectonic plate which includes most of South America and a large part of the south Atlantic
  • Sunda Plate – Tectonic plate including Southeast Asia

Terranes

Terrane – Fragment of crust formed on one tectonic plate and accreted to another

  • Arctic Alaska-Chukotka terrane – Terrane that includes parts of Alaska, Siberia and the continental shelf between them
  • Arequipa-Antofalla – South American geology
  • Armorican Massif – Geologic massif that covers a large area in the northwest of France
  • Armorican terrane – Microcontinent or group of continental fragments rifted away from Gondwana
  • Avalonia – Microcontinent in the Paleozoic era named for the Avalon Peninsula in Newfoundland
  • Briançonnais zone – Piece of continental crust in the Penninic nappes of the Alps
  • Bronson Hill Arc – Bimodal volcanic arc and associated Ordovician sediments
  • Buffalo Head Terrane – Terrane in the western Canadian Shield in northern Alberta
  • Cache Creek Terrane – Geologic terrane in British Columbia and southern Yukon, Canada
  • Carolina terrane – Exotic terrane from central Georgia to central Virginia in the United States
  • Cassiar Terrane – Cretaceous terrane located in the Northern Interior of British Columbia and southern Yukon
  • Chilenia – Ancient microcontinent, containing central Chile and western Argentina
  • Chiloé Block – Ancient microcontinent or terrane that collided with the South American Plate during the Proterozoic
  • Cuyania – Ancient microcontinent now part of Argentina
  • Cymru Terrane – Inferred fault bounded terrane of the basement rocks of the southern United Kingdom
  • Florida Platform – Flat geological feature with the emergent portion forming the Florida peninsula
  • Franciscan Assemblage
  • Ganderia – Terrane in the northern Appalachians which broke off the supercontinent Gondwana
  • Gascoyne Complex – Granite and metamorphic rock in Western Australia
  • Great Lakes tectonic zone
  • Great Valley Sequence – Group of late Mesozoic formations in the Cental Valley of California
  • Hebridean Terrane – Part of the Caledonian orogenic belt in northwest Scotland
  • Hottah terrane – Paleoproterozoic terrane in the northwestern end of the Canadian Shield
  • Irumide Belt – Mesoproterozoic terrane on the southern margin of the Bangweulu Block in Zambia
  • Ivrea zone – Tectonic terrane in the Italian Alps
  • Lhasa terrane – Fragment of crustal material that forms present-day southern Tibet
  • Madre de Dios Terrane – Distinct fragment of Earth's crust in southwestern Patagonia
  • Meguma terrane – Terrane exposed in southern Nova Scotia
  • Narooma Terrane – Geological structural region on the south coast of New South Wales, Australia
  • Narryer Gneiss Terrane – Geological complex of ancient rocks in Western Australia
  • Omineca Arc – Volcanic arc terrane in western North America
  • Pampia – Ancient microcontinent or terrane
  • Pelso Plate – Small tectonic unit in the Pannonian Basin in Europe
  • Salinian Block – Terrane west of the main trace of the San Andreas Fault system in California
  • Shan–Thai Terrane – Mass of continental crust extending from Tibet into Southeast Asia
  • Slide Mountain Terrane – Late Paleozoic terrane in British Columbia, Canada
  • Smartville Block – Volcanic arc accreted onto the North American Plate
  • Sonoma Volcanics – Geologic formation of volcanic origin in California
  • Sonomia Terrane – Crustal block accreted onto the North American Plate in Northwest Nevada
  • Spavinaw terrane – Intrusive and volcanic rocks in the mid-continent region of the United States
  • Stikinia – Terrane in British Columbia, Canada
  • Tuareg Shield – Geological formation between the West African craton and the Saharan Metacraton in West Africa
  • Western Gneiss Region – Large geological unit in Norway, part of the Baltic shield
  • Wrangellia Terrane – Geological area in northwestern North America
  • Wrekin Terrane – Inferred basement rock terrane of the southern United Kingdom
  • Yakutat Block – Earth crust fragment in Alaska
  • Yukon–Tanana Terrane – Largest tectonostratigraphic terrane in the northern North American Cordillera

Triple junctions

Triple junction – Meeting point of three tectonic plates

Other plate tectonics topics

Specific areas

(to be reallocated)

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