The Mariana Trench - The Mariana Arc
This 3-D sketch shows a cross-section of
the Mariana Arc with some of its main structures and features. The
numbers represent the speed of sound in the various layers beneath the
arc measured by the precise timing arrivals from earthquakes and
man-made sources. Higher velocities represent more dense material.
Note that there is old ocean crust descending in the trench at the
same time new crust is forming along the island arc (from deep melting
of the down going plate) and in the back-arc spreading center (from
extension behind the arc). Modified from Plate 2 of Fryer and Hussong
(Proceedings of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, Leg 60, pp. 45-55,
1981).
Related Links
Submarine Ring of
Fire: Mission Plan
- Mariana Arc, 2003
Submarine Ring of
Fire: Mission Plan
- Explorer Ridge, 2002
The information appearing on this page was taken from an original
article published by
NOAA
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Magazine Online.
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