DIVERGING/CONSTRUCTIVE BOUNDARY
Plates which are moving apart produce tensional stresses in the crust. Molten rock or magma rises from deep magma chambers in the hot asthenosphere to form ocean ridges and new oceanic crust. The injection of this new crust moves the lithospheric plates apart in a process called sea-floor spreading where magma rises to fill any possible gap between the two plates.
This process occurs in the Mid-Atlantic where the North and South American and the Eurasian- African plates are being pulled apart. It is thought the Atlantic is widening by approximately 5cm per year.
Gentle earthquakes and gentle volcanic eruptions are found at these margins.
Transform Faults
Transform faults occurs at the constructive plate boundary where two constructive plates beside one another are moving apart. The name transform is given because theorists say that this is not a different type of plate margin, but another form of the diverging plate boundary.
Gentle earthquakes and gentle volcanic eruptions are found at these margins.
Transform Faults
Transform faults occurs at the constructive plate boundary where two constructive plates beside one another are moving apart. The name transform is given because theorists say that this is not a different type of plate margin, but another form of the diverging plate boundary.
Example- the most famous transform fault is the 1500km long San Andreas Fault in California which experiences a lot of plate movement amongst relatively complicated tectonics. This area is of much concern because it passes through a very densely populated area where earthquakes could detrimentally affect many people.