How to explain the presence of volcanoes in Japan. Volcano gave Japan an island
Help with geography) What explains the presence of active volcanoes in Chile? and got the best answer
Answer from Condorita[guru]
The presence of a huge subduction zone (swimming of the oceanic Pacific lithospheric plate under the continental South American plate)
A subduction zone is where oceanic crust sinks into the mantle. Most earthquakes and many volcanoes are confined to subduction zones.
The geomorphological expression of subduction zones is deep-sea trenches.
Other names for the subduction zone: seismofocal zone, since most deep-focus earthquakes are concentrated in it, or Zavaritsky Benioff Wadati zone, Benioff zone, Wadati zone after the names of scientists who identified this special zone. The reason for this was seismic data, which showed that the foci of earthquakes are located deeper and deeper in the direction from the deep trench to the continent. The subduction zone is well traced on seismo-map profiles, at least up to the boundary between the upper and lower mantle (670 km).
Two widespread geodynamic settings are associated with subduction zones: active continental margins and island arcs. In the classical version, the subduction zone is realized in the case of the interaction of two oceanic or oceanic and continental plates. However, in recent decades it has been revealed that during the collision of continental lithospheric plates, one lithospheric plate is also pushed under another, this phenomenon is called continental subduction. Subduction is one of the main geological regimes. With a total length of modern convergent plate boundaries of about 57,000 kilometers, 45,000 of them are subduction, the remaining 12,000 are collisional.
The strongest earthquakes and tsunamis occur in subduction zones.
A heap of tectonic plates torn off a subducting lithospheric plate is called an accretionary prism.
The most famous subduction zones are in the Pacific Ocean: Japan, Kurile Islands, Kamchatka, Aleutian Islands, coast North America, coast South America. Also subduction zones are Sumatra and Java in Indonesia, the Antilles in the Caribbean, the South Sandwich Islands, New Zealand and etc.
Volcanoes and their features, continents without volcanoes and with a large number of them. Highest and largest volcanoes world, Europe, Russia and the USA. The danger of the explosion of the Yellowstone volcano.
Is there a continent where there are no volcanoes?
The question on which continent there are no volcanoes can be bewildering. Indeed, these huge mountains, ejecting fire and lava, are all over the globe. Even in Antarctica, on the ice-covered mainland, there are several extinct volcanoes! However, scientific facts prove that there is one continent on our planet where there are no volcanoes at all.
Australia is a place where there are no volcanoes. To understand the reason for this, one should recall the nature of such mountains. Volcanoes arise at fault points, at the boundaries of tectonic plates. In these zones, magma comes closest to the surface and can slosh onto it. And volcanoes in this case serve as a crack in the crust, through which magma pours out.
And in Australia there are no active volcanoes just because the mainland is far from faults. Australia is located in the very center of the Australian Plate, and therefore tectonic processes, including volcanism, almost do not occur here.
Why are there so many volcanoes in Japan?
Australia's antipode in terms of volcanism can be called Japan. Unlike the calm mainland, the islands of Japan are located in the most dangerous tectonic zone in the world. If Australia lies on one tectonic plate, then Japan is located at the junction of four! The Eurasian, Pacific, North American and Philippine plates converge at this point, creating faults and tectonic belts (see the picture below, Japan is marked with a yellow circle)
What explains the presence of volcanoes in Japan is understandable, but their number is amazing. In total, there are more than 450 fiery mountains here, 110 of which are active, that is, they often erupt. The volcano is also the most high point countries - Fujiyama. True, Mount Fuji is considered a dormant volcano, because last eruption happened here in 1707!
A large number of volcanoes in Japan are closely associated with earthquakes. This region is part of the Ring of Fire tectonic mobile belt. This zone extends around the circumference Pacific Ocean. There are frequent earthquakes and volcanic explosions.
What volcanoes are in Europe?
There are many dangerous, extinct and active volcanoes on the European continent. But only the eruption of some volcanoes became a legend and these events entered the history of the world.
Vesuvius volcano in Italy
This famous volcano located on the territory modern Italy, near the city of Naples. It's the only one active volcano which is located on the continental part of Europe. The eruption of Vesuvius is quite well known to us from history. It was because of him that in 79 AD the densely populated ancient city Pompeii was buried under a huge amount of lava and volcanic ash. At the same time, other 2 ancient cities disappeared from the face of the earth: Herculaneum and Oplontis. This tragedy formed the basis of many paintings and films.
Santorini
This gentle volcano is located on Greek island Thira in the Aegean. According to history in 1645-1600 BC. e. there was a massive volcanic eruption. The volcano towered high above the ground and the eruption was so powerful that its walls collapsed, because of this a high tsunami wave of 100 meters formed, which covered the islands. Some scientists believe that it was this eruption that destroyed the Minoan civilization on the island of Crete.
Sicilian Etna
Most high volcano in Europe - Etna, located on Italian island Sicily. Etna is almost 2 times higher than Visuvius. Since this is an active volcano, its height is constantly changing. This volcano erupts on average 3 times a month, and once every 150 years it destroys the neighboring village. The inhabitants of the island adore their volcano, as it is considered not dangerous. After all, periodically erupting, the volcano cannot accumulate strength and energy for a more destructive eruption. Tourists love to visit this volcano, even during the eruption. If you follow all safety measures and are not near the crater during the eruption, then you can even run away from the erupting lava.
What are the highest and largest volcanoes in the world?
The largest volcano in the world is the title that Mauna Loa and the Tamu Massif argue for. The first volcano is located on Hawaiian Islands and is valid. Mauna Loa last erupted recently, in 1984. The volume of the volcano is 75000 cubic km, and the height is 10168 m! Tamu massif - underwater dormant volcano in the Pacific Northwest. Its volume reaches 2.5 million cubic kilometers, but scientists argue whether this giant can be considered a separate volcano.
Other record holders and simply impressive volcanoes:
- - Mauna Kea - the highest extinct volcano and the mountain with the highest absolute altitude. Taking into account the underwater part, this mountain exceeds Everest by almost 2 km, having a height of 10203 m.
- - Lullaillaco is the highest of the active volcanoes. This mountain rises in the Andes at 6739 m. The last time the eruption was observed in 1877.
- - Klyuchevskaya Sopka is a volcano in Kamchatka, the highest active volcano in Eurasia. Its height is 4835 m, and it erupted on April 25, 2016!
- - Erebus - this volcano is located in Antarctica. It is the southernmost such formation, while constantly operating!
Yellowstone is the most dangerous volcano in the US
In the USA there is a huge volcano called Yellowstone. This is a caldera - a large round basin left after the collapse of the walls of the volcano. The dimensions of the giant are 55x72 km! Researchers are convinced that one day Yellowstone will explode. The danger of such an explosion lies in the size of the volcano. After the eruption, volcanic ash will close the atmosphere. This will cause climate change, cooling, acid rain. If the Yellowstone Volcano explodes, many species of plants and animals will die. Human existence will also be threatened.
Humanity,usually, does not expect special favor from nature. Recently, there have been reports of large-scale natural disasters. Huge areas are flooded with water, entire villages are swept away by a hurricane, not to mention earthquakes ... However, recently Japan received a pleasant surprise - a volcanic eruption gave the country new territory!
When at the end of November 2013, a tiny piece of land arose 1000 kilometers south of Tokyo, it greatly pleased the Japanese, who were not too spoiled by expanse.
The area where the Ogasawara mountain range is located is known for its seismic activity. A miracle happened thanks to the eruption of an underwater volcano. "Birth" took place in agony. The eruption lasted about two days, and the earthquake managed to affect 30 islands. Fortunately, all of them turned out to be uninhabited, and people were not injured ...
It's interesting that new island border guards discovered by accident. Their attention was drawn to a column of thick smoke from an erupting volcano, the height of which reached 600 meters. Such volcanic activity is explained by the fact that the entire territory of Japan is located in the zone of the Pacific Ring of Fire - the area along the perimeter of the Pacific Ocean, in which the majority of active volcanoes are located.
The reaction of the Japanese government to the replenishment of the archipelago followed quickly and was restrainedly optimistic. "If this entity becomes a real island, then the area of our territorial waters will increase," Yoshihide Suga, General Secretary of the Cabinet of Ministers, said at a press conference in Tokyo.
Four and a half months have passed, the area of land that has come out of the sea has indeed increased considerably. Experts who constantly collect information about this territory claim that it has grown 70 times since its discovery. According to the latest measurements, the area of the new island in the Ogasawara range is more than 700 square kilometers. In addition, in the course of its growth, the "newcomer" connected with the neighboring island of Nishinosima, also volcanic in origin. As a result, the outlines of this formation began to resemble the hero of the American cartoon dog Snoopy.
The last time an underwater volcano in this area woke up almost 40 years ago - in 1974. Then, also as a result of the eruption, the island of Nishinoshima arose ... Volcanic activity in this area continues, and it is possible that the newly appeared land area will only grow. According to most researchers, the island, most likely, will not go under water, as often happens with oceanic volcanic formations, and will become part of the territory of Tokyo, since the Ogasawara ridge legally belongs to the Japanese capital.
Now seismologists are putting forward various theories of how the land generated by the volcano will behave in the future. In their opinion, the emergence of several small lakes is also possible in this area.
The world community, however, as well as the Japanese themselves, is more concerned about the increase in Japan's resources. After all, growing by the sea, the wealth of the country of the Rising Sun must inevitably increase. According to regulations international law, water at a distance of 12 nautical miles (22.2 kilometers) from coastline the states are considered its territorial sea, the next 12 nautical miles - the contiguous zone. At a distance of 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from the coast, the exclusive economic zone of the state ends and the continental shelf begins, then the open sea. For fishermen in Japan, this is additional money, for the state - taxes to the treasury ...
However, the Japanese does not live by fish alone. Scientists suggest that the new island will later be used as a platform for equipment that is used to search for expensive mineral and energy resources. And minerals are one of the decisive factors of well-being for any country.