Abstract
This paper studies how plate tectonics and fault line movement are impacting the shape of the California coastline. The paper begins with a discussion of how plate tectonics have changed the earth's surface, including through earthquakes. Then the paper turns to one of the most famous major fault lines, the San Andreas fault. The paper examines its historical, current and future influence on California, such as the major earthquakes of the 1800s and 1900s. The paper concludes with a discussion of other fault lines, including active and inactive ones.

From the Paper
"Plate tectonics is responsible for the building of mountain ranges, the separation of continents through creation of new crust when the seafloor spreads as new lithospheric material pushes out of rifts on the ocean floor, and for earthquakes and volcanic activity (including the creation of volcanic islands and mountain ranges). The regions where the action of plate tectonics is most discernible is where adjoining tectonic plates are most active: pressing into each other, sliding over or under each other, sliding past each other. This activity usually takes place at a geologic pace--that is, so slowly that it escapes the notice of short-lived creatures such as human beings. Humans are unlikely to see mountain ranges forming or continents drifting apart. When two great tectonic plates, such as the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate, move relative to each other along the Pacific coast at an average rate of 2 inches a year, who would notice? But the these gigantic plates do not move only by drifting or creeping at such an imperceptible pace. As they mash into each other, portions of their adjoining edges get hung up or frozen in place for years at a time, even for centuries or thousands of years. The pressure on these junctures finally gives way as much larger movements which humans perceive (can hardly ignore!) as earthquakes."

Tags:san, andreas, bay, area, los, angeles, earthquake, pacific, ocean

Abstract
This paper help explains how Plate Tectonics has caused changes in continental landmasses through geological occurrences. It presents the main controversy in the Plate tectonic theory - whether the movement of the plates has displaced landmass across the continents or not and whether it is the sole reason for the change of the landmass or it is through atmospheric influence.

From the Paper
"Thousands of years ago the earth's surface has been hypothesized as one big landmass. The Earth's surface has been constant motion. "Fragmented into giant sheets of solid rock that glide atop a layer of hotter, more pliable material, the globe's appearance is forever changing." [Cowen, 1999] . These plates are semi rigid, floated on flow of mantle. The plates measured around 50 miles, thickness of 25 miles on land and 4 miles thick under the oceans. Their movement was categorized by an average of a few inches a year. Even today, geologists and tectonicists hypothesize the earth to continue this movement in similar slow manner, even if we do not notice it. The plates' movement is called the Plate Tectonic Theory, a theory presented in 1912 but upheld in 1960 . "

Tags:volcano, earthquake, earth, california, mountain, collision, layer, global, meltdown, ocean, rock

Abstract
This paper offers a general definition of plate tectonics and a simple explanation for this process. The paper defines three specific types of plate tectonic environments, provides examples of "seismic gaps"
and discusses the types of mountains that are formed as a result of plate tectonics. The paper concludes that the impact of plate tectonics on the geography of the earth can be seen almost everywhere one looks, whether in the United States, South America (the Andes Mountains), Europe (Mt. Vesuvius in Italy) or Asia (Mt. Fujiyama in Japan).

From the Paper
"As a general definition, plate tectonics is based on a theory that the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and that much of the earth's seismic activity, such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, occur at the boundaries of these plates. A simple explanation for this process would be to compare plate tectonics to the surface of a ball with individual areas that slide and/or grind against each other, thus creating seismic activity deep below the mantle of the earth. This activity, usually in the form of earthquakes, can be measured by geologist through the use of a seismograph which measures the intensity of a quake based on the Richter Scale from 1 to 10 magnitude."

Tags:earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, seismic, gaps

Abstract
The writer of this paper details the exploration of the ocean floor which began in the 1940s and aided scientists in developing the theory of plate tectonics. This paper explores how the work of researchers like Albert Wegener and James Hutton and the study of plate tectonics helped predict with some degree of accuracy where and when an earthquake will strike as well as predict which of the world's active volcanoes will erupt, saving countless lives.
Topics covered in this report include:
The Theory of Continental Drift
This Dynamic Earth-Developing the Theory
Plate Tectonics
Works Cited

From the Paper
"Abraham Ortelius, a Dutch mapmaker, first suggested the possibility that the earth's landmasses were not fixed in 1520. He suggested that the Americas were once attached to Africa and Europe. They were then ripped apart by earthquakes and floods, creating three continents. It wasn't until the early part of this century, when a German meteorologist named Alfred L. Wegener became intrigued by this concept and the ideas set forth by other scientists that land bridges had been connected the continents at one time, but had then sunk into the ocean."

Tags:science, james, hutton, earthquake, volcano, geology, abraham, ortelius, alfred, wegener, ocean, earth

Abstract
This paper explains that plate tectonics is one of the most important discoveries in science and geology because it explains why the continents share many similarities, which could not be explained if they had always existed apart and it explains why, even today, the surface of the earth is constantly shifting, rearranging and moving. The author points out that an important discovery, which ultimately led scientists to believe the theory of plate tectonics was correct, was the discovery of seafloor spreading. The paper relates that plate tectonics and the continual shifting it produces can create many changes in the surface of the earth from weather to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

From the Paper
"Several theories of geologic process and scientific discovery helped lead to the discovery of plate tectonics in the 1920s, and the theory was generally accepted by the 1950s. The plate tectonic theory evolved from earlier theories, beginning with continental drift. The first time continental drift was mentioned was in 1908, by an American named Frank Bursey Taylor. However, the theory really did not gain acceptance until 1912 when German meteorologist and geophysicist Alfred Wegener detailed the theory and gave it more basis in fact. The continental drift theory believes that between 275 and 175 million years ago, all the continents were joined together in one land mass. Later, this massive continent broke apart into two gigantic landmasses in the north and south, those continents further divided about 100 million years ago into more currently recognizable shapes, and they began to drift apart during this time, too."

Tags:seafloor, continents, earthquakes, drift, recycling

Abstract
This paper describes the continental drift and plate tectonic theories and traces their history, discusses the key players who were involved in developing the theories and examines the current state of scientific knowledge about Earth's geology and paleontology.

From the Paper
"The idea that the earth's continents have drifted has a long history. As long ago as 1596 the Dutch map maker Abraham Ortelius in his work Thesaurus Geographicus Ortelius suggested that the Americas were "torn away from Europe and Africa . . . by earthquakes and floods." He had been the first (and certainly not the last) to notice the apparent "jig-saw" fit of the bulge of eastern South America into the bight of Africa. (Kious and Tilling, 1999) In around 1850 A.D., a French scientist Antonio Snider-Pellegrini, while researching the similarity of the fossil plants and coal deposits in North American and European and concluded that the phenomenon could only be explained if the two continents had once been connected. In 1908 Frank B. Taylor of the United States invoked the notion of continental collision to explain the formation of some of the world's mountain ranges."

Tags:continents, land, masses, constantly, moving, collided, broken, apart, drifted, framented, oceans

Abstract
This paper takes a look at the tectonic plates effecting seismic activity in the state of California. The paper focuses on the Pacific plate and the North American plate, two adjacent plates moving in opposite directions, which form the San Andreas fault in California. The paper points out that plate tectonics play a major role in the various geological processes found in California, especially in relation to earthquakes and the San Andreas fault. The paper concludes that this plate tectonic activity has brought about much beauty and splendor, while also making the state a very dangerous and unpredictable place to live.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Geology of Plate Tectonics
The San Andreas Fault
Tectonic Activity in California
The Loma Prieta Earthquake
Conclusion

From the Paper
"One important part of the San Andreas fault is known as the Coachella Valley Segment and in June of 1992, the Landers earthquake, measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale, alerted geologists to the potential of a large-magnitude quake somewhere in the Los Angeles area. The Landers quake place much scientific focus on the clustering of quakes and tectonic activity close to the Coachella Valley segment of the fault. Thus, many geophysicists have been increasingly concerned with the high number of quakes and amount of tectonic movement occurring so close together on the northern end of the segment. In 1985, several geological investigators determined that a magnitude 7.5 earthquake along or on the Coachella segment could possibly trigger the so-called "Big One," yet if such a scenario occurred on the next segment north and west of the Coachella segment, the heavily-populated city of San Bernardino could experience massive destruction. In addition, a rupture of this segment could conceivably continue in line past Los Angeles and produce a quake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale (Nance, 1988, p. 174)."

Tags:fault earthquake geology America, Ring of Fire San Andreas

Abstract
This paper first explains that the plate tectonic theory, which suggests that the Earth is made up of a dozen rigid plates, moving independently of each other, is used to explain the movement of the plates on the Earth's lithosphere. Next, the author relates the history of the development of this theory starting from the work of Alfred Wegener, a German geophysicist and meteorologist, in 1912. The paper examines that the studying ocean floor and earthquake and volcanic activity are commonly used as evidence to support the plate tectonic theory.

From the Paper
"By scanning the ocean floors with magnetometers, they hypothesized that the oceanic crust constantly reformed at the crest of the mid-ocean ridges. The further you move away from that ridge crest, the sediment would become increasingly older. As they had been able to see evidence of seafloor spreading, it was accepted that the tectonic plates had moved. They also endeavored to determine and document the earthquake and volcano activity across the globe, to see how it related to the oceanic trenches and underwater mountain ranges."

Tags:asthenosphere, continental drift theory, paleomagnetic polar changes, magnetic field, subduction zones

From the Paper
"Plate Tectonics on Venus?


The plate tectonic theory is now widely accepted as a unifying basis for the physical geology of the earth as a whole. Not only does it explain most of the tectonic phenomena on Earth, but a number of key points have been well substantiated by paleomagnetic and seismologic studies (4). Venus, Earth's nearest neighbor, and similar in size, density, and age (8) might be expected to have similar tectonic activity. Indeed Soviet and U.S. explorations of Venus during the 60's and 70's revealed several features that could be interpreted as past or ongoing tectonism (Fig. 1). These included large calderas and arachnoids suggesting volcanism, dome uplifts, low ridge belts on planes, high mountain belts, heavily deformed areas called tesserae, and the circular coronae unique to Venus (9). Now that the..."

Abstract
This paper discusses the Puente Hills fault, a blind-thrust that runs underneath metropolitan Los Angeles. It looks at the magnitude of a possible earthquake. The paper also looks at the Theory of Plate Tectonics. It is based on a Los Angeles Times article.

From the Paper
"When people think about earthquakes in California the San Andreas Fault comes to mind because that fault threatens major Californian metropolitan centers where millions of people live and work and it is also the most famous local fault..."

Tags:Earthquake, California, Tectonics, Geology, Blind-thrust