A giant tectonic plate under the Indian Ocean
(ORDO NEWS) — New research shows that the tectonic plate under the Indian Ocean will split in two in the future, but for humans, it could take an infinite amount of time. Perhaps during this period, one civilization will replace another.
According to scientists, the tectonic plate is splitting at the speed of a snail – 1.7 millimeters per year. It turns out that in about a million years the platforms will move 1.7 kilometers from each other. This was reported in the publication “LiveScience”. For comparison, the San Andreas Fault (California) moves about 1.8 centimeters per year.
The split occurs so slowly and deeply underwater that scientists have not tracked the beginning of this process. It was given by two powerful earthquakes in the Indian Ocean in an unexpected place for scientists. The earthquakes did not occur in places where one tectonic plate goes under another.
The split occurs so slowly and deeply underwater that scientists have not tracked the beginning of this process. It was given by two powerful earthquakes in the Indian Ocean in an unexpected place for scientists. The earthquakes did not occur in places where one tectonic plate goes under another.
A team of scientists in 2015 and 2016 thoroughly investigated the fault in the Wharton River Basin and, using echolocation, compiled a geographic map of the basin. Here the researchers found evidence of an existing fault. Such faults cause earthquakes when tectonic plates slide horizontally past each other.
Scientists believe the split is proceeding at a very slow pace. The next earthquake at the split should be expected no earlier than in 20 thousand years. It will take tens of millions of years for the split to complete.
Either way, research shows that plate tectonics is happening all the time. Scientists believe that such studies provide a better understanding of how the outer layer of the Earth forms.
Scientists have known for a long time that the Earth’s surface is constantly in motion – tectonic plates change their position. And the processes of their separation can drag on for millions of years. Quite a few such faults have been found on Earth. For example, Siberian geologists recently reported that Eurasia would split in two in 20 million years. The split will occur along the largest freshwater lake on Earth, that is, along Lake Baikal. In other words, Lake Baikal will turn into an ocean in the future.
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