New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007
The Biggest Plates on Earth (adapted from the 2002 Ring of Fire Expedition)
Focus aries (download from U.S. Geological Survey Plate tectonics Web site: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/Vigil.html) (Optional) Overhead transparency of map illus- Grade Level trating the Ring of Fire (from U.S. Geological 5-6 (Earth Science) Survey Web site: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/ fire.html) Focus Question (Optional) Overhead projector How do tectonic plates move, and what are some consequences of this motion? Teaching Time One or two 45-minute class periods Learning Objectives Students will be able to describe the motion of Seating Arrangement tectonic plates, and differentiate between three Classroom or groups of two to four students typical boundary types that occur between tec- tonic plates. Maximum Number of Students 30 Students will be able to infer what type of bound- ary exists between two tectonic plates, given Key Words information on earthquakes and volcanism in the Ring of Fire vicinity of the boundary. Asthenosphere Lithosphere Students will be able to describe plate bound- Magma aries and tectonic activity in the vicinity of the Fault Kermadec Arc. Transform boundary Convergent boundary Materials Divergent boundary Copies of “Active Volcanoes, Plate Tectonics, Subduction and the ‘Ring of Fire’,” one copy per student or Tectonic plate student group (download from http://oceanexplorer. Spreading center noaa.gov/explorations/05fire/background/volcanism/media/tec- tonics_world_map.html) Background Information The Submarine Ring of Fire is an arc of active vol- Audio/Visual Materials canoes that partially encircles the Pacific Ocean (Optional) Overhead transparency of cross sec- Basin, including the Kermadec and Mariana tion illustrating the main types of plate bound- Islands in the western Pacific, the Aleutian Islands New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 – Grades 5-6 (Earth Science) Focus: Plate tectonics oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
between the Pacific and Bering Sea, the Cascade the mantle, fluids are released from the rock caus- Mountains in western North America, and numer- ing the overlying mantle to partially melt. The new ous volcanoes on the western coasts of Central magma (molten rock) rises and may erupt violent- America and South America. ly to form volcanoes, often forming arcs of islands along the convergent boundary. These island arcs The location of the Ring of Fire coincides with are always landward of the neighboring trenches. the location of oceanic trenches and volcanic For a 3-dimensional view of a subduction zone, island arcs, and was one of the early clues that visit: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03fire/logs/sub- led to the theories of continental drift and plate duction.html. tectonics. In 1940, Hugo Benioff, an American seismologist (a scientist who studies earthquakes) The junction of two tectonic plates that are mov- charted the location of deep earthquakes in the ing apart is called a divergent plate boundary. Pacific Ocean. He found that earthquake sites are Magma rises from deep within the Earth and distributed in an arc that spanned both sides of erupts to form new crust on the lithosphere. the ocean. Five years earlier, Japanese seismolo- Most divergent plate boundaries are underwater gist Kiyoo Wadati had noticed a similar pattern, (Iceland is an exception), and form submarine and suspected that it was connected in some way mountain ranges called oceanic spreading to the idea of continental drift. He was right. ridges. While the process is volcanic, volcanoes and earthquakes along oceanic spreading ridges Today we know that the outer shell of the Earth are not as violent as they are at convergent plate consists of about a dozen large plates of rock boundaries. View the 3-dimensional structure of (called tectonic plates) that move several centi- a mid-ocean ridge at: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ meters per year relative to each other. Tectonic explorations/03fire/logs/ridge.html. plates are portions of the Earth’s outer crust (the lithosphere) about 5 km thick, as well as the The third type of plate boundary occurs where upper 60 - 75 km of the underlying mantle. The tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other, plates move on a hot flowing mantle layer called and is known as a transform plate boundary. As the asthenosphere, which is several hundred the plates rub against each other, huge stresses kilometers thick. Heat within the asthenosphere are set up that can cause portions of the rock creates convection currents (similar to the currents to break, resulting in earthquakes. Places where that can be seen if food coloring is added to a these breaks occur are called faults. A well-known heated container of water). These convection cur- example of a transform plate boundary is the San rents cause the tectonic plates to move several Andreas Fault in California. See animations of centimeters per year relative to each other. different types of plate boundaries at: http://www. seed.slb.com/en/scictr/watch/living_planet/plate_boundaries/ The junction of two tectonic plates is called a plate_move.htm. “plate boundary.” Three major types of plate boundaries are produced by tectonic plate move- The volcanoes of the Submarine Ring of Fire result ments. If two tectonic plates collide more or less from the motion of several major tectonic plates. head-on they form a convergent plate boundary. The Pacific Ocean Basin lies on top of the Pacific Usually, one of the converging plates will move Plate. To the east, along the East Pacific Rise, new beneath the other, which is known as subduction. crust is formed at the oceanic spreading center Deep trenches are often formed where tectonic between the Pacific Plate and the western side plates are being subducted, and earthquakes are of the Nazca Plate. Farther to the east, the east- common. As the sinking plate moves deeper into ern side of the Nazca Plate is being subducted
New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 – Grades 5-6 (Earth Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Plate tectonics
beneath the South American Plate, giving rise to When seawater penetrates the permeable ocean active volcanoes in the Andes. Similarly, conver- crust in the vicinity of volcanoes, increased heat gence of the Cocos and Caribbean Plates pro- and pressure cause a variety of gases, metals duces active volcanoes on the western coast of and other materials to dissolve into the water Central America, and convergence of the North from the surrounding rock. This process causes American and Juan de Fuca Plates causes the vol- many metals to be concentrated by a thousand to canoes of the Cascades in the Pacific Northwest. a million times their concentration in normal sea- water. When the fluid is vented into cold ocean On the western side of the Pacific Ocean, the water, some dissolved substances precipitate out Pacific Plate converges against the Philippine of solution, forming metal deposits, “chimneys,” Plate and Australian Plate. Subduction of the and “black smokers.” Dissolved gases may react Pacific Plate creates the Mariana Trench (which to form other materials. At NW Rota Volcano, for includes the Challenger Deep, the deepest known example, dissolved sulfur dioxide forms sulfuric area of the Earth’s ocean) and the Kermadec acid and elemental sulfur. At NW Eifuku Volcano, Trench. As the sinking plate moves deeper into 1,600 meters below the sea surface, the 2004 the mantle, new magma is formed as described Ring of Fire Expedition found buoyant droplets above, and erupts along the convergent bound- of liquid carbon dioxide, probably formed from ary to form volcanoes. The Mariana and degassing of a carbon-rich magma. Kermadec Islands are the result of this volcanic activity, which frequently causes earthquakes as Hydrothermal fluids also provide an energy well. The movement of the Pacific Ocean tectonic source for a variety of chemosynthetic microbes plate has been likened to a huge conveyor belt that in turn are the basis for unique food webs on which new crust is formed at the oceanic associated with hydrothermal vents. Many of spreading ridges, and older crust is recycled to these microbes have specific adaptations to the lower mantle at the convergent plate bound- extreme conditions; scientists found evidence for aries of the western Pacific. For more informa- microbes living in hot spring fluids on NW Rota tion on plate tectonics, visit the NOAA Learning with a pH of 2.0 or less. Other new and unique Objects Web site (http://www.learningdemo.com/noaa/). microbes are expected to be found in association Click on the links to Lessons 1, 2 and 4 for inter- with extreme vent fluids as other sites are identi- active multimedia presentations and Learning fied and explored along the Kermadec Arc. Activities on Plate Tectonics, Mid-Ocean Ridges, and Subduction Zones. Since they were discovered in 1977, hydrother- mal vent communities associated with divergent Volcanoes at convergent plate boundaries along plate boundaries have been extensively studied. the Kermadec and Mariana Arcs often erupt as In contrast, much less is known about hydrother- violent explosions, and form chains of isolated mal systems near convergent plate boundaries cone-shaped islands. In contrast, volcanoes like those of the Mariana and Kermadec Arcs. found near the divergent plate boundaries of Beginning in 2002, Ocean Exploration expedi- oceanic spreading ridges generally do not erupt tions have undertaken systematic mapping and explosively and look like long, low ridges. See study of hydrothermal systems in previously-unex- the satellite and sonar survey animation of the plored areas of the Submarine Ring of Fire. Visit Mariana Arc Volcanic Chain at: http://oceanexplorer. • http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/02fire/logs/ noaa.gov/explorations/04fire/background/marianaarc/media/ magicmountain/; sat_em_islands_video.html. • http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03fire/; • http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/04fire/;
New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 – Grades 5-6 (Earth Science) Focus: Plate tectonics oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
• http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05fire/; of the “Ring of Fire,” and purpose of the New and Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire • http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06fire/welcome. 2007 Expedition. You may want to show still html images or video of submarine volcanic activity for more information about the many discover- from http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/06fire/ ies, as well as still and video imagery, from logs/photolog/photolog.html. these expeditions. The New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 Expedition is 3. Distribute copies of “Active Volcanoes, Plate focused on detailed exploration of hydrothermal Tectonics, and the ‘Ring of Fire’” to each stu- systems at Brothers Volcano, which is the most dent or student group. Have each group decide hydrothermally active submarine volcano on the what type of boundary exists at each of the Kermadec Arc. four “Ring of Fire” sites indicated by the red arrows. The arcs of volcanoes in the two west- In this lesson, students will infer whether plate ern Pacific sites and the site along the coast of boundaries associated with the Pacific Ring of South America should suggest that these are Fire are divergent, convergent, or transform convergent boundaries. The fourth site in the based on information about earthquakes and vol- northeastern Pacific is a little trickier, because canic activity in the vicinity of the boundaries. five plates are involved: the Pacific Plate, the North American Plate, and the much smaller Learning Procedure Juan de Fuca, Explorer, and Gorda Plates (the 1. To prepare for this lesson, review the introduc- last three aren’t labelled on the map). The three tory essays for the New Zealand American smaller plates have a divergent boundary with Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 Expedition at the Pacific Plate and a convergent boundary http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/07fire/welcome. with the North American Plate. The active vol- html, and “Arc Volcanism” at http://www.oceanex- canoes of the Cascades on the western coast plorer.noaa.gov/explorations/05fire/background/volcanism/vol- of North America are the result of these conver- canism.html. gent boundaries. You may want to refer to the 2002 Ring of Fire Expedition (http://oceanexplorer. 2. Explain the concept of plate tectonics and con- noaa.gov/explorations/02fire/background/plan/media/nepac. tinental drift. Be sure students understand the html), and possibly the “This Dynamic Planet” idea of convergent, divergent, and transform map (http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/planet.html) when discuss- boundaries, as well as the overall type of earth- ing these boundaries with your students. quake and volcanic activity associated with each type of boundary (strong earthquakes and Tabulate each group’s results, and lead a dis- explosive volcanoes at convergent boundaries; cussion of the reasoning behind their conclu- slow-flowing volcanoes, weaker earthquakes at sions. If you want to use this exercise for evalu- divergent boundaries; strong earthquakes, rare ation, collect the worksheets before discussion. volcanoes at transform boundaries). Discuss energy transfers involved in plate motions, The Bridge Connection earthquakes, and volcanoes. You may want www.vims.edu/bridge/geology.html to use materials from “This Dynamic Earth” and/or “This Dynamic Planet” (see Resources The “Me” Connection section), but don’t give away the answers to Have students write a first-hand account of a visit the predictive exercise on the Pacific Basin to a plate boundary, describing where the bound- Tectonic Plates. Briefly review the major features ary occurs and what conditions are found there
New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 – Grades 5-6 (Earth Science) oceanexplorer.noaa.gov Focus: Plate tectonics
Connections to Other Subjects Focus: Hydrothermal vent ecology and transfer English/Language Arts, Geography of energy among organisms that live near vents (Physical Science/Earth Science/Biology) Assessment Worksheets may be used to evaluate students’ In this activity, students will be able to describe understanding of the concepts presented. how hydrothermal vents are formed and char- Alternatively or additionally, students may be acterize the physical conditions at these sites, asked to define key words, and/or identify the explain what chemosynthesis is and contrast this type of boundaries and expected conditions at process with photosynthesis, identify autotrophic the junctions of other tectonic plates. bacteria as the basis for food webs in hydro- thermal vent communities, and describe common Extensions food pathways between organisms typically Have students visit http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/ found in hydrothermal vent communities. explorations/07fire/welcome.html to keep up to date with the latest New Zealand American Submarine Ring Other Links and Resources of Fire 2007 Expedition discoveries, and find out The Web links below are provided for informa- what scientists are learning about hydrothermal tional purposes only. Links outside of Ocean systems in the vicinity of Brothers Volcano. Explorer have been checked at the time of this page’s publication, but the linking sites may Multimedia Learning Objects become outdated or non-operational over time. http://www.learningdemo.com/noaa/ – Click on the links to Lessons 1, 2, 4, and 5 for interactive multimedia oceanexplorer.noaa.gov – Web site for NOAA’s Ocean presentations and Learning Activities on Plate Exploration program Tectonics, Mid-Ocean Ridges, Subduction Zones, and Chemosynthesis and Hydrothermal Vent Life. http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html#anchor19309449 – On-line version of “This Dynamic Other Relevant Lesson Plans from NOAA’s Ocean Earth,” a thorough publication of the U.S. Exploration Program Geological Survey on plate tectonics writ- The Volcano Factory [http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa. ten for a non-technical audience gov/explorations/06fire/background/edu/media/ROF06.VolFactory. pdf] (7 pages; 273 k) http://pubs.usgs.gov/pdf/planet.html – “This Dynamic Planet,” map and explanatory text showing Focus: Volcanism on the Mariana Arc (Earth Earth’s physiographic features, plate move- Science) ments, and locations of volcanoes, earth- quakes, and impact craters Students will be able to explain the tectonic pro- cesses that result in the formation of the Mariana http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03fire/logs/subduction_ Arc and the Mariana Trench and explain why the vr.html – 3-dimensional “subduction zone” Mariana Arc is one of the most volcanically-active plate boundary video. regions on Earth. http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/explorations/03fire/logs/ridge.html Living With the Heat [http://www.oceanexplorer.noaa. – 3-dimensional structure of a “mid-ocean gov/explorations/06fire/background/edu/media/ROF06.LivingHeat. ridge,” where two of the Earth’s tectonic pdf] (9 pages; 289 k) (from the Submarine Ring of plates are spreading apart Fire 2006 Expedition) New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 – Grades 5-6 (Earth Science) Focus: Plate tectonics oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
http://www.pmel.noaa.gov/vents/index.html – NOAA’s hydro- Essential Principle 7. thermal vent Web site The ocean is largely unexplored. Fundamental Concept a. The ocean is the last National Science Education Standards and largest unexplored place on Earth—less than Content Standard A: Science As Inquiry 5% of it has been explored. This is the great • Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry frontier for the next generation’s explorers and • Understanding about scientific inquiry researchers, where they will find great opportuni- ties for inquiry and investigation. Content Standard B: Physical Science Fundamental Concept b. Understanding the • Transfer of energy ocean is more than a matter of curiosity. Exploration, inquiry and study are required to bet- Content Standard D: Earth and Space Science ter understand ocean systems and processes. • Structure of the Earth system Fundamental Concept d. New technologies, sensors and tools are expanding our ability to Ocean Literacy Essential Principles and Fundamental explore the ocean. Ocean scientists are relying Concepts more and more on satellites, drifters, buoys, sub- Essential Principle 1. sea observatories and unmanned submersibles. The Earth has one big ocean with many features. Fundamental Concept f. Ocean exploration is truly Fundamental Concept a. The ocean is the domi- interdisciplinary. It requires close collaboration nant physical feature on our planet Earth—cover- among biologists, chemists, climatologists, comput- ing approximately 70% of the planet’s surface. er programmers, engineers, geologists, meteorolo- There is one ocean with many ocean basins, such gists, and physicists, and new ways of thinking. as the North Pacific, South Pacific, North Atlantic, South Atlantic, Indian and Arctic. Send Us Your Feedback Fundamental Concept b. An ocean basin’s size, We value your feedback on this lesson. shape and features (such as islands, trenches, Please send your comments to: mid-ocean ridges, rift valleys) vary due to the [email protected] movement of Earth’s lithospheric plates. Earth’s highest peaks, deepest valleys and flattest vast For More Information plains are all in the ocean. Paula Keener-Chavis, Director, Education Programs NOAA Ocean Exploration Program Essential Principle 5. Hollings Marine Laboratory The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems. 331 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston SC 29412 Fundamental Concept b. Most life in the ocean 843.762.8818 exists as microbes. Microbes are the most impor- 843.762.8737 (fax) tant primary producers in the ocean. Not only are [email protected] they the most abundant life form in the ocean, they have extremely fast growth rates and life cycles. Acknowledgements Fundamental Concept g. There are deep ocean This lesson plan was produced by Mel Goodwin, ecosystems that are independent of energy PhD, The Harmony Project, Charleston, SC from sunlight and photosynthetic organisms. for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Hydrothermal vents, submarine hot springs, and Administration. If reproducing this lesson, please methane cold seeps rely only on chemical energy cite NOAA as the source, and provide the follow- and chemosynthetic organisms to support life. ing URL: http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov