2007:082 MASTER'S THESIS Wind Driven Plate Tectonics Asim Mohamed Widatalla Luleå University of Technology Master Thesis, Continuation Courses Environmental Engineering Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering Division of Renewable Energy 2007:082 - ISSN: 1653-0187 - ISRN: LTU-PB-EX--07/082--SE Dept. of Environmental Engineering Wind Driven Plate Tectonics Master thesis Asim Mohamed Widatalla 2 Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 3 Abstract The objective of this project was to investigate if plate tectonics couldbe partlyinfluencedby the dominating winds i.e. to investigate how predominate winds over the continents are correlatedtotectonic platemovements. This report presents the principle explanations andcalculationmethods tothe hypothesis.The requireddata of the monthlymeanwindvelocityandthe winddirectionat 117locations on the continents of the worldwere collected.Bycalculatingthe monthlymean windforce the resulting monthly force was calculated. The result indicates a relatively strong correlation betweenthe platemovementandpredominantwindinfouroutoffivecases. These results are mainly of scientific interest but could also be of interest for the climate change,sincechangingwindpatternwouldeventuallyaffectthetectonic platemovements. Keywords: plate tectonics,windvelocityanddirection,climatechangeeffects Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 4 Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 5 Preface While lookingfor a topic for the master thesis,I was planningtoselect a topic in renewable energy,I meet Professor BoNordell,where we discusseddifferent things andtopics, andhe mentionedthat he kept anidea for several years, inwhich he assumedthat the plate tectonics may be influencedbythe windforces.Because mybackgroundis far from the earthsciences, it was the first time for me toknow about this tectonics theory,soI was a little bit aware of that.But since still I shouldworkina senior designproject inRenewable Energy,andthis topic was suggested tobe one of the options for that project,I plannedtostart and to give the finaldecisionlater. After a while,I foundthat,I had the chance tosee the whole worldin a different view.Plates move inslow motion,this couldbemeasuredtypicallyabout 2cm per year.I wassupposedto investigateifthedominantwindcouldbeamongthefactorsthatwillaffectthismotion. Soattheendoftheday,Ifoundmyself,spentnotonlyasinglecourse period,butmostofthe winter andspringinfront of a computer,selectingdifferent cites andlocations all aroundthe five continents, drawing maps, analyzing the data, correlating the results with the actual movement of the plates, and trying to come up with amazing conclusion, this is quite a challengingthingtodo.EventhoughI am glad this periodis now over,it has beena very interestinglearningprocess to gothrough,whichhas been facilitated byquite a few people whomIwouldlike tothank: ◙ Professor Bo Nordell for his friendly and fruitful way of supervision, and for givingthe constructivefeedbackandcomments; ◙ Mybelovedparents –whotheyever believe in science and knowledge- for their continuous supporting,caring,prayers,andstill theyare encouragingmetogofurther. ◙Hisham mybrotherfor beinga partofeverynicestepinmylife; ◙ Reem my wife for takingthe right decisionat the difficult time,studyingthe nanophysics, and caring of our kids, giving me the strength and a reason to overcome challenges and achieve things. ◙ ToMohamedandOmer mysons,for giving the real meaningandlovelytaste tothe life, andmakingmelookatthefutureas aworldof possibilities. ◙ Finally,I wouldlike tothanks mysisters, relatives andfriends,especiallythose whospent thenights prayingforme,andthose whokeepthinkingofmeandbelievingthat,Iwilldoit. Mythanks willever be atthe beginningandtheendtoAllahwhosaid: ………..‘‘Andwhenyour Lordmade it known: If youare grateful,I wouldcertainly give to youmore,andifyouareungrateful,Mychastisementistrulysevere’’ ………………………………..(14:7) Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 6 Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 7 Table of Content Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Preface........................................................................................................................................ 5 Preface........................................................................................................................................ 5 TableofContent......................................................................................................................... 7 ListofFigures ............................................................................................................................ 8 ListofTables.............................................................................................................................. 9 1BACKGROUND................................................................................................................ 10 1.1PlateTectonics ............................................................................................................... 10 1.2Major plates.................................................................................................................... 11 1.3ClimateChange.............................................................................................................. 11 2OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................... 12 3METHOD.......................................................................................................................... 13 3.1TheforceEquation:........................................................................................................ 13 3.2TheTorqueEquations .................................................................................................... 13 4PROCEDURE ANDRESULTS ........................................................................................ 14 4.1General ........................................................................................................................... 14 4.2Australia ......................................................................................................................... 14 4.2.1OverallSitemethod................................................................................................. 15 4.2.2OverallTime method .............................................................................................. 17 5DISCUSSIONAND SUMMARY..................................................................................... 19 5.1General: .......................................................................................................................... 19 5.2Australia ......................................................................................................................... 19 6CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................. 22 7 REFERENCES................................................................................................................. 24 APPENDIX .............................................................................................................................. 25 A:SouthAmerica:................................................................................................................ 25 B: NorthAmerica................................................................................................................. 32 C:Africa............................................................................................................................... 40 D:Eurasia............................................................................................................................. 48 REFERENCES:........................................................................................................................ 54 Widatalla Asim, LTU, 2007 Wind Driven Plate Tectonics 8 List of Figures Figure1:Majorandminortectonics platesofEarth[UPRM,4]............................................ 11 Figure2:Simplifiedpicture illustratingthewindoverland. .................................................. 13 Figure3:Locationofselected20sitesandarea centerofAustralia....................................... 14 Figure4:TheAustralianplate,centerofcontinent(AliceSprings) andcentreof plate [ESUM,10] .............................................................................................................................. 19 Figure5:MonthlywindforceoverAustralia.......................................................................... 20 Figure6:MonthlywindforcedirectionoverAustralia. ......................................................... 20 Figure7:ThearrowsindicatetheactualandcalculateddirectionoftheAustralianplate movement,[ESUM,10] ........................................................................................................... 21 Figure8:Major plates,plate boundaries,andplatemovements.[Christopherson,11].......... 21 Figure9:DigitalTectonicsActivityMap - plate boundaries - platemovements.[NASA , 12]............................................................................................................................................. 22 Figure10:Locationofselected21sitesandmasscenterofgravitation,SouthAmerica. ...... 25 Figure11:SouthAmericanplateandthelocationofSaoCarloscity,theareacenterofthe continent,andthesuggestedlocationofthecenterofthe