do all the islands in pacific including new zealand and australia moving northwards

8/3/2019 Do All the Islands in Pacific Including New Zealand and Australia Moving Northwards

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SEDIMENTOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTED BY:RIDAAZHAR

SUBMITTED TO:DR.I.U.CHEEMA

DATE OF SUBMISSION:26/10/2011

DAY OF SUBMISSION:WEDNESDAY


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Do all the islands in pacific including New Zealand and Australia moving

northwards?

Answer:

Pacific Plate

The Pacific plate, shown in pale yellow

The Pacific Plate is an oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million square

kilometres, it is the largest tectonic plate.

The north-eastern side is a divergent boundary with the Explorer Plate, the Juan de Fuca Plate and

the Gorda Plate forming respectively the Explorer Ridge, the Juan de Fuca Ridge and the Gorda Ridge.

In the middle of the eastern side is a transform boundary with the North American Plate along the San

Andreas Fault, and a boundary with the Cocos Plate. The south-eastern side is a divergent

boundary with the Nazca Plate forming the East Pacific Rise.

The southern side is a divergent boundary with the Antarctic Plate forming thepacific-Antarctic Ridge.

The western side, the plate is bounded by the Okhotsk Plate at the Kuril-Kamchatka Trench and

the Japan Trench, forms a convergent boundary by subducting under thephilippine Sea Plate creating

the Mariana Trench, has a transform boundary with thecaroline Plate, and has a collision boundary

with the North Bismarck Plate.

In the south-west, the Pacific Plate has a complex but generally convergent boundary with the Indo-

Australian Plate, subducting under it north of New Zealand forming the Tonga Trench and

the Kermadec Trench. The Alpine Fault marks a transform boundary between the two plates, and

further south the Indo-Australian Plate subducts under the Pacific Plate forming the Puysegur Trench.


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The southern part ofzealandia, which is to the east of this boundary, is the plate's largest block of

continental crust.

The northern side is a convergent boundary subducting under the North American Plate forming

the Aleutian Trench and the correspondingaleutian Islands.

The Pacific Plate contains an interior hot spot forming the Hawaiian Islands.

Hillis and Mller are reported to consider the Bird's Head Plate to be moving in unison with the Pacific

Plate.[1] Bird considers them to be unconnected.[2]

Paleo-geology of the Pacific Plate;

The Pacific Plate has the distinction of showing one of the largest areal sections of the oldest members

of seabed geology being entrenched into eastern Asian oceanic trenches. A geologic map of the Pacific

Ocean seabed shows not only the geologic sequences, and associatedring of Fire zones on the ocean's

perimeters, but the various ages of the seafloor in a stair-step fashion, youngest to oldest, the oldest

being consumed into the Asian oceanic trenches. The oldest member disappearing by way of the Plate

Tectonics cycle is early-Cretaceous (145 to 137 million years ago).[3]

All maps of Earth's ocean floor geology show ages younger than 145 million years, only about 1/40 of

the Earth's 4.55 billion year history.

The pacific islands:

The Pacific Islands comprise 20,000 to 30,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean. The islands are also

sometimes collectively called Oceania,[1] although Oceania is sometimes defined as also

including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago.

The Pacific Islands lying south of the tropic of Cancer are traditionally grouped into the three divisions

of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia:

Melanesia means black islands. These include New Guinea (the largest Pacific island, which is divided

into the sovereign nation of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesianprovinces of Maluku (maluku

Province) Papua and West Papua), New Caledonia, Zenadh Kes (Torres Strait Islands), Vanuatu, Fiji,

and the Solomon Islands.

Micronesia means small islands. These include the Marianas, Guam, Wake Island,Palau, the Marshall

Islands, Kiribati, *Nauru, and the Federated States of Micronesia. Most of these lie north of

the equator.

Polynesia means many islands. These include New Zealand, the Hawaiian Islands,Rotuma, the Midway

Islands, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, the Cook Islands, Wallis and

Futuna, Tokelau, Niue, French Polynesia, and Easter Island. It is the largest of the three zones.

The region's islands are classified into two groups, high islands and low islands. Volcanoes form high

islands, which generally can support more people and have a more fertile soil. Low islands


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are reefs or atolls, and are relatively small and infertile. Melanesia, the most populous of the three

regions, contains mainly high islands, while most of Micronesia and Polynesia are low islands. In

addition, there are many other islands located within the boundaries of the Pacific Ocean that are not

considered part of Oceania. These islands include the Galpagos Islands of Ecuador; the Aleutian

Islands in Alaska, United States; the Russian islands of Sakhalin and Kuril Islands; Taiwan and other

islands of the Republic of China; the Philippines; islands in the South China Sea, which includes thedisputed South China Sea Islands; most of the islands of Indonesia; and the island nation of Japan,

which includes the Ryukyu Islands and the Japanese Archipelago.

Nauru (along with Kiribati's Banaba island) could be counted as somewhat of an exception. The

indigenous Nauruans are both a mosaic and mixture of groups from all three categories- with cultural

influence stemming primarily from Micronesia. The island was also said to be an extreme point of the

"Tongan Empire" and may as a result share subtle cultural and, obviously, historical aspects with

Polynesia. Lastly, the people speak a language and have a number of genes not in common with any of

the three regions. Of the three, Nauru is least like Polynesia and Melanesia and for practical

applications, Nauru is either assigned to Micronesia or designated as a separate entity (with the

former being the most common).

This is a list of many of the major Pacific islands, organized by archipelago or political unit. In order to

keep this list of moderate size, links are given to more complete lists for countries with large numbers

of small or uninhabited islands.

Note: many Polynesian languages have a glottal stop, which in most of them is seldom written, however.

If a name with a < > cannot be found, try to rewrite it without it. See 'okina for more info. American Samoa (eastern part of the Samoa Islands, United States territory)

Aunu u Ofu

Olosega

Rose Atoll

Swains Island (Olosenga, Olohega) (disputed)

Ta u Tutuila

Baker Island (United States)

British Columbia, Canada (many islands). All of Canada's Pacific islands are located in the province

ofBritish Columbia. Vancouver Islandis Canada's largest Pacific island.

Caroline Islands (Federated States of Micronesia; Palau)

Federated States of Micronesia


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Pohnpei

Yap

Ulithi

Chuuk

Puluwat

Kosrae

Palau

Babeldaob

Ioueldaob

Koror

Southwest Islands

Clipperton Island (France)

Cook Islands

Aitutaki

Atiu

Pamati (Palmerston)

Mangaia

Manihiki (Humphrey)

Manuae (Hervey) Mauke (Parry)

Mitiaro

Nassau

Pukapuka (Danger)

Rakahanga (Reirson)

Rarotonga

Suwarrow (Anchorage)

Takutea Tongareva (Penrhyn)

Desventuradas Islands (Chile)

East Timor

Timor


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Easter Island/Rapa Nui (Chile)

Fiji Islands

Principal islands:

Viti Levu

Vanua Levu

Significant outliers:

Conway Reef

Kadavu Island

Taveuni

Rotuma Island

Archipelagos:

Kadavu Group

Lau Islands

Lomaiviti Islands

Mamanuca Islands

Moala Islands

Ringgold Isles

Rotuma Group

Vanua Levu Group

Viti Levu Group

Yasawa Islands

French Polynesia ("Tahiti", Autonomous Overseas Territory of France)

Austral Islands

Tubuai

Society Islands

Iles du Vent (Windward Islands)

Moorea Tahiti

Tetiaroa

Maiao

Mehetia

Iles Sous le Vent (Leeward Islands)


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Bora Bora

Huahine

Maupiti

Raiatea & Tahaa

Tupai

Mopelia (aka Maupihaa)

Manuae (aka Scilly Atoll)

Motu One (aka Bellinghausen)

Marquesas

Fatu Hiva

Hiva Oa

Nuku Hiva

Tahuata

Ua Huka

Ua Pou

Tuamotus

Rangiroa

Fakarava

Moruroa

Fangataufa

Gambier Islands

Mangareva

Helena Island

Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)

Gilbert Islands (Kiribati)

Hawaii (United States; see also Hawaiian Islands)

Main islands

Hawai i Kaho olawe Kaua i Lana i Maui

Moloka i


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Ni ihau O ahu

Northwestern Hawaiian Islands

Kaula

Nihoa

Necker

French Frigate Shoals

Gardner Pinnacles

Maro Reef

Laysan

Lisianski

Pearl and Hermes Reef

Midway

Kure

Howland Island (United States)

Indonesia

Johnston Atoll (United States)

Juan Fernndez Islands (Chile)

Kermadec Islands (New Zealand)

Macauley Island

Raoul Island

Line Islands

Caroline Island

Flint Island (Kiribati)

Jarvis Island (United States)

Kingman Reef(United States)

Kiritimati/Christmas Island (Kiribati)

Malden Island (Kiribati)

Palmyra Atoll (United States)


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Starbuck Island (Kiribati)

Tabuaeran/Fanning Island (Kiribati)

Teraina/Washington Island (Kiribati)

Tongareva/Penhryn Island (Cook Islands)

Vostok Island (Kiribati)

Lord Howe Island (Australia)

Marcus Island (Japan)

Marianas Islands (United States)

Guam

Northern Marianas Islands

Saipan

Rota

Tinian

Maug

Pagan Island

Alamagan

Farallon de Pajaros

Marshall Islands

Bikini

Enewetak

Kwajalein

Rongelap

Majuro

Norfolk Island (Australia)

Federated States of Micronesia (Caroline Islands)

Chuuk (Truk)

Puluwat

Pohnpei

Kosrae


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Yap

Ulithi

Nauru

New Caledonia ("Kanaky", France)

Chesterfield Islands

Ilots du Mouillage

New Caledonia

Isle of Pines

Belep Islands

New Caledonia

Loyalty Islands Bagao

Lifou Island

Mar Island

Ouva Island

Tiga Island

New Zealand ("Aotearoa", see also Islands of New Zealand)

Chatham Islands

Chatham Island

Pitt Island

D'Urville Island

Great Barrier Island

Kapiti Island

North Island

South Island

Stewart Island/Rakiura

Waiheke Island

Niue (Savage Island)

Okinotori Islands (Japan)


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Papua New Guinea

Bismarck Archipelago

Admiralty Islands

New Britain

New Ireland

Saint Matthias Group

Bougainville

D'Entrecasteaux Islands

Louisiade Archipelago

Trobriand Islands

Phoenix Islands (Kiribati)

Pitcairn Islands (UK)

Henderson Island

Oeno Island

Ducie Island

Revillagigedo Islands (Mexico)

Samoa (western part of the Samoa Islands)

Savai i Upolu Apolima

Manono

Nuutele

Solomon Islands (see also Islands of the Solomon Islands)

Bellona

Choiseul Florida Island

Guadalcanal

Malaita

Maramasike

New Georgia Islands


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Rennell

Russell Islands

San Cristobal

Santa Cruz Islands

Santa Isabel

Shortland Islands

Sikaiana (Stewart Islands)

Tulagi

Ulawa

Uki

Tokelau

Atafu (Duke of York Island)

Fakaofo (Bowditch Island)

Nukunonu (Duke of Clarence Island)

Olohega (Swains island) (disputed)

Tonga (only main islands or groups, on north-south order. See also complete list of islands in Tonga)

Niuafo ou Niuatoputapu (Keppel's Island)

Vava u Kao

Tofua

Ha apai Tongatapu

Eua Torres Strait Islands (Australia)

Tuvalu (see also Islands of Tuvalu)

Funafuti (atoll of at least 30 islands)

Nanumanga (orNanumaga)

Nanumea (atoll of at least 6 islands)

Niulakita

Niutao


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Nui (atoll of at least 21 islands)

Nukufetau (atoll of at least 33 islands)

Nukulaelae (atoll of at least 15 islands)

Vaitupu (atoll of at least 9 islands)

Vanuatu (New Hebrides; see also Islands of Vanuatu)

Ambrym

Anatom

Aoba

fat

Erromango

Espiritu Santo

Futuna

Hunter(claimed by France and Vanuatu)

les Banks

les Torres

Mawo

Matthew (claimed by France and Vanuatu)

Malakula

Pentecte

Tanna

Wake Island (United States)

Wallis and Futuna (France)

Alofi

Futuna

Wallis ( Uvea) Willis Island (Australia)

PACIFIC PLATE MOTION:

The Pacific Plate is moving northwest relative to the North American Plate at a rate of 45 mm/year.

This movement occurs along faults, mainly the San Andreas Fault. The San Andreas Fault system is the


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major fault system found in California. Fault systems running parallel to the San Andreas include the

San Jacinto, Elsinore and Imperial.

Faults are breaks in rock masses along which movement has occurred. A fault zone can be identified by

a band of crushed rock. The length of a fault may vary from a few centimeters to thousands of

kilometers.

The Pacific Plate moves Northwest relative to the North American Plate at approximately the same

rate that your fingernails grow. If you never cut your fingernails and you lived to be 100 years old,

your fingernails would be approximately ten and a half feet long.

Movement of AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND towards north:

The onset of seafloor spreading west of Australia at

~130 Ma marks the breakup between India and

Australia. Roughly at the same time, subduction east

of Australia ceased. The break between Australia and Antarctica was the last event in the Gondwana

breakup. It began about 80 million years ago when a

deep rift valley formed along the southern edge of

Australia; this widened to form the present Southern

Ocean. Since then Australia has been moving steadily

north at the rate of about 5 cm per year. Prior to 43

million yhears ago a triple junction formed north of

the Ross Sea, accommodating motion between East

and West Antarctica. At the same time spreading

between India and Australia ceased and the

northward motion of Australia accelerated as it

separated from Antarctica. The Southeast Indian Ridgenow completely separated the Australian and

Antarctic Plates. At the same time spreading between India and Australia ceased and subduction north

of Papua New Guinea was initiated.


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Major plate tectonic events since the early Miocene (~20 Ma) include the breakup of the Indo-

Australian plate, and various collisional processes and plate boundary reorganizations north and east

of Australia. The sector of oceanic crust containing Macquarie Island, between Tasman Sea oceanic

crust and continental crust of the Campbell Plateau, was generated from 39 to 10.5 million years ago

at the Proto-Macquarie Spreading Ridge, that propagated from the

Pacific/Antarctic spreading ridge. The Proto-Macquarie Spreading Ridge evolvedwith time from long ridge segments of NNE-trend to short ridge segments of E-trend

in the vicinity of Macquarie Island and generated during the latest episodes of

seafloor spreading. The overall trend of the Proto-Macquarie Spreading Ridge was

NNE-SSW throughout and roughly coincided with the present day Macquarie Ridge.

Plate reconstructions suggest coincident seafloor spreading and strike-slip

movements at the Proto-Macquarie Spreading Ridge between 14 and 10.5 Ma. The

present day Australian/Pacific plate margin is coincident with the Macquarie Ridge, a 2100 km long

crustal fracture system connecting the Pacific/Antarctic and Indo-Australian/Antarctic spreading

ridges with the Alpine Fault system in New Zealand.

Volcanoes in New Zealand result from the subduction of the Pacific Plate

under the Australian Plate. South of the North Island the tectonic boundary

between the Indian-Australian and Pacific plates changes to a transform fault.

New Zealand straddles the boundary of the Australian and Pacific plates.

Along New Zealand, the Australian plate moves to the northeast at a rate of 35

to 45 mm/yr relative to the Pacific plate. In the central South Island, this plate

motion results in predominantly strike-slip movement along the Alpine Fault. In southwestern South

Island, relative plate motion is accommodated by oblique subduction of the Australian plate along the

Puysegur trench and deformation of the overriding Pacific plate inland of the trench. The Southern

Alps of New Zealand result from this oblique plate convergence.

Personal openionabout the movement of the PACIFIC plate:

so, at the end I would like to conclude that the pacific plate has been moving towards the northwest

relative to the North American Plate at a rate of 45 mm/year. This movement

occurs along faults, mainly the San Andreas Fault. The onset of seafloor

spreading west of Australia at ~130 Ma marks the breakup between India and

Australia. Since then Australia has been moving steadily north at the rate of

about 5 cm per year. . The present day Australian/Pacific plate margin is

coincident with the Macquarie Ridge, a 2100 km long crustal fracture system

connecting the Pacific/Antarctic and Indo-Australian/Antarctic spreading

ridges with the Alpine Fault system in New Zealand. New Zealand straddles the boundary of theAustralian and Pacific plates. Along New Zealand, the Australian plate moves to the northeast at a

rate of 35 to 45 mm/yr relative to the Pacific plate. So this shows that the pacific plate is continuously

moving towards north& Australia was initially not a part of the pacific plate but later on it separated

from indo-Australian plate and started moving toward north. now it share its margins with the pacific

plate and is moving towards north. Moreover newzealand also shares the boundary with the

Australian and Pacific plate and is moving along with them.


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References:

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Islands

Http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Plate

Http://visearth.ucsd.edu/vise_Int/aralsea/tutorial.html

do all the islands in pacific including new zealand and australia moving northwards

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