This week I took a trip to see the Mariana Trench. While there may be little to see on the
surface of the ocean, to humans, this location is one of the most dangerous in
the world. Just like it is one of the
most volatile places as the Pacific plate is actively subducting beneath the Philippine/Mariana
plate.
There are enormous stresses occurring at and around this location. Nearby the Philippine/Mariana plate is
experiencing compressional stress from the subduction. This has in turn folded the ocean floor and
part of these anticlines has created the Mariana island chain which Guam is a
part of. The trench itself is subjected
to shearing stress as the Pacific plate moves under its companion tectonic
place. The western edge of this Pacific plate
is comprised of some of the oldest crust on earth, making this particular part
of the plate cooler and comprised of harder rock. While some of the rock is brittle, this unstable
area is also home to both heat and pressure.
The bottom of the trench is often a source of lava and is more prone to ductile
deformation. It is a geological hot spot
in more way than one.
While this visit is fascinating from a scientific perspective
is not a location for the faint of heart.
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