Link to a tour

Before i left, i wanted to share with you a link to a google earth tour that chronicles my journey.

(http://cegsa.editme.com/digitalw)
Enjoy!
click Here!!


keep smart!

Goodbye... For now!

I have decided to take a break from my travels, and rest in this 
(http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/01/shigeru-ban-paper-tube-schools.php)
glorious school of Science, where I may re-cooperate with the things I enjoy most, bright lights, waking up early, and of course Science! I may become a substitute teacher, but for now I am furthering my education.  


Keep smart!!
(I'll miss all my loyal readers!!)

Mantle Convection!

Goodie! I just love some mantle convection, and is there a better way to share my love then on this great little blog? I think not!! Mantle convection is when the heat from the earth's inner core is transfered to the outer core. The plates wouldn't even move without mantle convection!

 

(http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/intro.html)

The convection cell happens as the magma rises to the surface, floats, then cools then heats up and cools all over again. It looks a little something like this. 

Since there is this convection circle, the lithospheric plate gets dragged with the magma, creating Divergent and Convergent boundaries. 

Keep smart!!

TRANSFORMERS!

ok, ok, I will tel you where I am. California!!!! and i am staying at a quaint little hotel clost to the San Andreas Fault. the exact coordinates are 
Latitude: 39° 0'13.87"N

Longitude: 123°41'48.04"W. 

(http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/07/san-andreas-fau.html) 

 The San Andreas fault occurs because two plates, the pacific plate and the north American plate, are sliding against eachother, creating fractures. This is called a Transform Boundary

(http://berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2004/01/09_quakes.shtml) 

The movement between the plates is not uniform, some may be as high as 5cm a year, or some may have not moved for centuries. Yep, Transform boundary's are pretty cool, (http://www.gweaver.net/techhigh/projects/period1_2/Yellowstone/Plate%20Tectonics.html) 

there are really only two in the entire world, and the other one is the North Anatolian Fault. Also, the fracture zones in mid ocean ridges are transform boundaries.  

Keep Smart!

Him Ala ya!

If you couldn't guess by the title, I am in a mountainous area... where the worlds tallest mountains are found. 
thats right! HIMALAYAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

(http://www.travel-visit-places.com/himalayas/)
I am currently at exactly these coordinates,
Latitude: 27°58'48.07"N
Longitude: 86°55'17.55"E
Yep, believe it or not, I'm currently taking a day hike on Mt Everest, but its okay because with my Unicorn wireless hotspot with 7g connection I can tell you all about the Himalayas while I'm observing their glorious splendor. Moments like this make me wonder, how were they made? 
Believe it or not, I already knew how they were made because I am an Expert geologist, and have graduated college, so I actually know!!  They Himalayas were formed when two converging plates carrying continents collided, and the continents 'welded' together. the force of the collision pushed the crust to be pushed up into a mountain range.
 
(http://www.cnsm.csulb.edu/departments/geology/people/bperry/geology303/geol303chapter5.html)
The Himalayas are the result of the collision boundary between the Indian subcontinent and the Eurasian subcontinent. they are being pushed upward at about 5 cm per year, but sitting here i cant feel a thing. 
You all will be so surprised about where I'm going next!!! 


Keep smart!  

then... ICELAND

my next super secret location has been revealed.(http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Iceland/Nordhurland_Eystra/Eyjafjardharsysla/thjorsa/photo98643.htm) 
Iceland, the island with LOADS of volcanoes. I am residing at exactly these coordinates
Latitude: 64°34'3.62"N

Longitude: 16° 2'0.83"W. 

Sure its great that Iceland has so much Volcanism, But something did not quite make sense. Why were there so many Volcanoes?? was Iceland the first in a Volcanic island change like Hawaii? But no, the plate boundary wasn't quite like the other plates they had seen, and it puzzled scientists. Then, in 1950, scientists discovered the mid Atlantic ridge,

  
(http://waterfire.fas.is/Iceland/Geology.php) 
and things started to make sense. After this discovery, there was widespread acceptance of the theory of Pangaea and continental drift. 
 
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_Ridge) 
 See, the rift is made by a Divergent Boundary. In a divergent boundary, there are two plates being pushed aside by magma, which cools and then hardens and forms a Mid ocean range. at the center of the mid ocean range is a rift valley. A rift valley is a deep valley with Hot springs that rise up.
(http://www.geology110.com/files/lecshare1/html/web_data/file50.htm)
Iceland itself was formed by volcanic eruptions along the mid Atlantic ridge. Which is why its such a geology hot spot ;)  
Where will i go after Iceland?? Stay tuned!!!


Keep smart!!

First to INDONESIA

Wow! its amazing here in Indonesia! the water is beautiful and the views are amazing! (http://indonesianartandculture.com/senggigi-beach-a-very-beautiful-place-to-visit)
This is the view out of my hotel. Jealous huh! this might be a relaxing vacation for some people, but i wouldn't even be here if it was a beach vacation. not my thing. I am currently exactly,at these coordinates
Latitude: 0°48'8.67"S

Longitude: 110°43'26.13"E 
But fortunately, the real splendor of this place is in the  plate tectonics going on under my very feet. As you can clearly see in the picture below me, 
(http://www.andaman.org/mapstsunami/tsunami.htm)
The Indonesian islands are located to the right of a very important plate rift.

the islands are located near the subduction boundary, as chains of volcanic islands do. when one ocianic plate is moving under another, some of the magma is forced up and forms volcanic island arcs. Another feature that can clue in geologists like you and me to subduction is when there is a deep sea trench along the ocean floor.

To explain the basics of subduction, it is when two plates converge with another. When two oceanic plates converge the one leaning on top of the other forms a chain of volcanic islands. while the one going underneath forms a deep sea ridge. If a oceanic plate converges with a continental plate, the more dense land plate will force the other oceanic plate under and a deep sea trench will form on that plate, while a mountain chain with volcanoes will form on the continental plate.
  (http://www.platetectonics.com/book/page_12.asp)
Happy learning everybody!! im sure you are all so excited for my next stop!!
where will i be next?? stay tuned!
Keep smart!!