Tectonic Setting and Natural Hazards-USA

This week we are exploring plate tectonics and how the location of each country is affected by its position respect to Earth's plate boundaries.

The USGS map below and this NOAA map shows clearly how the Easter US is a passive margin (aka, far away from a tectonic plate boundary) and the Western side of the country is a very active one, with the Pacific Plate, Cocos, Juan de Fuca plates connecting to the North American plate (plate tectonic boundaries). Not a surprise we are on the ‘Ring of Fire’, where a lot of the volcanic and seismic activity happens!

Of course, there are a few exceptions, like the geologic activity of Hawaii (hot spot) or the New Madrid area (ancient rift), both not at plate boundaries, but is for some other time.

We might not know when events like volcanic eruptions or big earthquakes will happen, but if you know your Tectonics, you definitely know where the do happen!

All for now-

Other Plate Maps found at USGS or Esri: interactive