DOH – Everyone knows that earthquakes are caused by CO2.
An expedition is getting under way in the South Pacific to investigate one of the most seismically-active fault lines in the world.
Researchers are planning to study the Tonga Trench – a deep feature where the Pacific tectonic plate is being forced under the Indo-Australian plate.
The island nation of Tonga is regularly hit by tremors – most recently a 6.4 magnitude quake offshore last month.
The research expedition will last about one month.
The focus of the study will be an unusual zone on the seabed where undersea volcanoes are being dragged into the fault.
Scientists want a better understanding of how the submarine mountains affect the likelihood of earthquakes.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/science-environment-13161058
Plate tectonics is just as false a dogma as the greenhouse effect theory, and just as easily disproved, as I have done to both. The simplest definitive evidence against plate tectonics is brought out on my blog at
Challenge to Earth Scientists
How are those ancient landing strips doing?
8)
That’s like the DHMO.org site, right?
They will watch for a few days and make Wild Ass Guesses, then do science by press release!
CO2 concentrates on the subduction side of the fault and weighs it down. This allows water to flow into the crack and lubricate the zone allowing easier slippage. The Mountains get in the way and cause friction that results in tremors!
I think the plates are doing a Square Dance to a really slow song!
I brought in the recent paper and showed it to a geologist at work who is an expert on Plate Tectonics. He glanced at it and basically said, yup, this has been known for ever. So what? A quick explanation of how this is being linked to the modern idea of climate change being linked to things such as the quakes in Haiti and Japan just got me a blank look.
Take the Himalayas (sp) as an example. The weight of the mountain chain acts as a counterbalance, `pushing down’ on the colliding plates and exerting a back force, potentially effecting the plate motion – speed. This is also correct for the Andes. Now, if there is erosion of the mountain chain, it reduces the mass, etc and relieves the back pressure on the colliding, subducting plate. So what. These are processes that occur over millions of years …e.g. the authors mentioned 10 million years. Fine. Sure that might effect earthquakes. BUT. To draw an analogy to a purported phenomina that has occurred over say 30 years is absolute lunacy.
The use of the term climate change, rather than simply referring to variable rates of precipitation and thus running water, that is a very strong erosional processs, i.e. variable rates of erosion, is simply done as it opens up funding avenues.
A very questionable, but understandable action. The crime, using the term loosely, is for the AGW folks to imply that it has an effect on a decadal scale. Very dishonest and typical spin.
Because of isostasy, eroding mountains regain most of their lost elevation.