based on the distribution of earthquake epicenters alone, why is the boundary of the Nazca plate along the east pacific rise, a

Question

Igoryamba

3 years ago

10

based on the distribution of earthquake epicenters alone, why is the boundary of the Nazca plate along the east pacific rise, a

divergent boundary rather than a convergent one?

Geography

1 answer:

Yanka [14] · Answer 1 · 2021-12-20T16:43:29+03:00

Answer:

The Nazca plate is subducting under the South American plate, and as it sinks the weight of the plate pulls the entire plate away from the east-pacific rise. Also, convection currents in the mantle/asthenosphere are pulling hotter rock from inside the earth up to the surface at the east-pacific rise pushing the Nazca plate to the east and pushing the Pacific plate west.

A convergent boundry would be on the far east side of the Nazca plate where it is pushing east and the South American plate is pushing west - causing the more dense Nazca plate to subduct under the less dense South American plate.

Explanation: