A Journey on the Path Less Traveled
Earth science is an all-embracing term for the eclectic sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences. The formal discipline of Earth sciences may include the study of the atmosphere, hydrosphere, oceans and biosphere, as well as the solid earth.
2.4 Andes Plate Margins: Island Arcs: Subduction of an Oceanic Plate beneath a Continental Plate The subduction of oceanic lithosphere gives rise to two different types of mountain belts.1). Where oceanic lithosphere subducts beneath an oceanic plate, an island arc …
2.3 Dynamics at Subduction Zones: Back Arc Spreading at Convergent Margins Because subduction zones form where two plates are converging, it is natural to assume that large compressional forces are at work to deform the plate margins. Indeed, this is …
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2.2 Subduction Zones: Deep Ocean Trenches and Volcanic Island Arcs To unravel the events that produce mountains, researchers examine ancient mountain structures as well as sites where orogenesis is currently active. Of particular interest are active subduction zones, where lithospheric …
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2.1 Mountain Building: Convergent Boundaries: Plate tectonics Mountains are often spectacular features that rise abruptly above the surrounding terrain. Some occur as isolated masses; the volcanic cone Kilimanjaro, for example, stands almost 6,000 meters (20,000 ft) above sea level, overlooking …
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1.8 History of the Moon: Collision and Catastrophe? Although the Moon is our nearest planetary neighbor and astronauts have sampled its surface, much is still unknown about its origin. The most widely favored scenario is that during the formative period …
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