convergentplateboundariesarelocationswherelithospheric（5页）.docVIP

Convergent Plate Boundaries Convergent plate boundaries are locations where lithospheric plates are moving towards one another. The plate collisions that occur in these areas can produce earthquakes, volcanic activity and crustal deformation. Convergent Plate Boundary – Oceanic-Continental: When continental and oceanic plates collide the thinner and more dense oceanic plate is overridden by the thicker and less dense continental plate. The oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle in a process known as subduction. As the oceanic plate descends it is forced into higher temperature environments. At a depth of about 100 miles (160 km) materials in the subducting plate begin to approach their melting temperatures and a process of partial melting begins. This partial melting produces magma chambers above the subducting oceanic plate. These magma chambers are less dense than the surrounding mantle materials and are buoyant. The buoyant magma chambers begin a slow ascent through the overlying materials, melting and fracturing their way upwards. The size and depth of these magma chambers can be determined by mapping the earthquake activity around them. If a magma chamber rises to the surface without solidifying, the magma will break through in the form of a volcanic eruption.  The Washington-Oregon coastline of the United States is an example of this type of convergent plate boundary. Here the Juan de Fuca oceanic plate is subducting beneath the westward moving North American continental plate. The Cascade Mountain Range is a line of volcanoes above the melting oceanic plate. The Andes Mountain Range of western South America is another example of a convergent boundary between an oceanic and continental plate. Here the Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the South American plate. Effects of a convergent boundary between an oceanic and continental plate include: a zone of earthquake activity that is shallow along the continent margin but deepens beneath the contin