Interpretation Course pp.pres

Interpretation Course : 

Interpretation Course NZ Geological History Plate tectonics - Definition How plate tectonics affects the features of NZ The sequence of events

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PLATE TECTONICS is the movement of large plates over a sea of molten lava. The result is some plates colliding and forming mountains, some plates sliding under others creating subduction zones which are associated with volcanic zones and some sliding along each other from North to South (often at the same time as colliding and subducting).

Plate Tectonics:- The Continental Drift : 

Plate Tectonics:- The Continental Drift The Pangea Supercontinent

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Simplification of the splitting of the worlds supercontinents

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There are 7 main plates that make up the world. African Plate – Covering the African Continent Antarctic Plate – Covering the Antarctic Continent Australian Plate – Covering Australia (fused with the Indian Plate about 50-55 million years ago and is often called the Indo-Australian Plate (this is the Western plate of NZ) Eurasian Plate – Covering Asia and Europe North American Plate – covering North America and North East Siberia South American Plate – covering South America Pacific Plate – Covering the Pacific Ocean (including New Zealand’s western plate.

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Life is NEVER Simple Current rates of uplift and displacement Alpine Fault: displacement of 30-40 mm/yearSouthern Alps: uplift of up to 10 mm/yearKaikoura: uplift of 5 mm/yearNorth Island axial ranges: uplift of up to 3 mm/year

To explain it simply: : 

To explain it simply: The plates are colliding along New Zealand’s South Island, and off shore in the North Island to the east. In the North, the Pacific plate is being subducted under the Australian plate and there are characteristics such as a volcanic zone near Taupo associated with subduction zones.

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In the South island there is a collision zone where the mountains are growing about 1cm per year, this is the Alpine fault. In the south of the South Island the Australian plate is subducting under the Pacific plate. There is also a movement along the plate boundary which moves about 30-40mm per year

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Current rates of uplift and displacement Pacific Plate: Alpine Fault: displacement of 30-40 mm/yearSouthern Alps: uplift of up to 10 mm/yearKaikoura: uplift of 5 mm/yearNorth Island axial ranges: uplift of up to 3 mm/year

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Subduction zone that exists in the North Island’s volcanic zone.

New Zealand’s Developmental Phases : 

New Zealand’s Developmental Phases PHASE 1 : THE OLDEST LAND : THE WEST-The Tuhua Orogeny PHASE 2 : FORMATION OF THE EASTERN BLOCK- The Rangitata Orogeny PHASE 3 : A) A PLACE OF OUR OWN B) UNDER AND UP AGAIN – The Kaikoura Orogeny

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