The Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire

Introduction

The Ring of Fire is a geographical area characterized by high seismic and volcanic activities near the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It was discovered by a geologist, volcanologists, and seismologist by the name Johnny Cash. The map that traces the Pacific Ocean is evident to the circular shape or ring shape similar to the Ring of Fire. Therefore, the term “Ring of Fire” is more of a descriptive than literal, describing other related features like the rising volcanoes, earthquakes and other everyday geographical activities that occur as a result of the tectonic plates’ boundaries and movements. The other name referring to the Ring of Fire is the Circum- Pacific Belt, a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by numerous volcanoes and earthquakes. The length of the Ring of Fire is approximately 40,000 KM (24,00 Miles), it covers boundaries occurring between several tectonic plates like the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Zazca, and many other plates. As a result, it covers almost 75% of the Earth’s volcanoes because over 450 volcanoes have been proven present along with it. Additionally, over 90% of the earthquakes experienced on happening along the Ring of Fire path the planet’s most aggressive seismic events.

Formation of the Ring of Fire

Since the tectonic plates define the Earth’s crust massive slabs, any constant movement above the mantle triggers some geographical activities. The formation process begins when an oceanic lat slides under the continental plates and the plate is shoved under another into the mantle. Another process involved in the seduction process that consists of a body rock between the Earth’s crust and the molten iron core. Therefore, the Ring of Fire was formed when a plate is shoed under the other into the mantle/subduction process. A big chunk of the Earth’s earthquake and volcanic eruptions that takes place in the narrow zone around the Pacific Ocean are the leading cause and source of the name the Ring of Fire.

Recent studies have uncovered the processes and reasons for the occurrence of the Ring of Fire others suggest that it occurs in the narrow spaces. However as explained before, the occurrence or the formation of “The Ring of Fire” could be as a result of complicated and differing mixtures of hot liquid magma and cooking water beneath the Earth’s ‘crust that triggers a volcanic eruption. However scientific research indicates that the volcanic curving chains or arcs like the Aleutian Islands occurring off the coast of Alaska define the entire interaction of the tectonic plates. However, most scientists have not provided a clear explanation behind the location and narrowness of the mentioned volcanic plates. The high amount of water contained in the molted rocks act as a superheated gas providing power that leads to further explosions.

Moreover, water reduces the rocks melting temperatures and also helps in the transformation of the rocks from their hot stable states to the liquid magma. The current explanations for the origin of the Earth put sit that the kind of wet melting triggers the volcanic activity. The devastating eruptions, the volcanic chains have essential clues regarding the Earth’s evolution; they provide the surface expressions about huge chemicals factories that separate molten rocks from the mantles to solidify as the crust that people lie on. They also emit primary gas volumes into the atmosphere.

Volcanoes and Earthquake along the Ring of Fire

The abundance of volcanoes and earthquakes on the Ring of Fire are caused by the effects of the movements of the tectonic plates in the area. Despite the existence of the plate of fire, tectonic plates overlap at subduction zones/boundaries. As mentioned before, under specific temperatures, rocks subducted melt and become magma. The increase of magma next to the Earth’s surface increases its vulnerability to volcanic activities. Some of the major plates include the Pacific and the North American Plates. Examples of volcanoes include the Noteworthy volcanoes that dot the Ring of Fire and mountains like Mt St. Hellen in the USA, Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines. Over 90% of the most recognized volcanic eruptions took place within the Pacific Ring of Fire because the area has the Earth’s most vulnerable subduction zones.

Moreover, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are clustered; they cause eruptions and tremors. Massive tremors rattle magma chambers underneath a volcano, leading to towers of ash and rivers of lava. A good example is the Puyehue –Cordon Caulle volcano in Chile which erupted in 1960 a few hours after magma of magnitude 9.6 earthquake. The main reason behind this is that large amounts of tectonic plates are endlessly moving into each other, sliding over each other and rolling on top of each other. The tectonic movement cans also result in pressure buildups and dissipate like earthquakes or creating fissures which allow magma to reach the Earth’s surface.

The Location of the Ring of Fire

The Ring of Fire is located along the Earth’s edges on the Pacific Ocean. However, upon the appearance, it is more of a Horseshoe of Fire as compared to a Ring of Fire. It extends approximately 25,000 miles away from the Zealand and West of the Pacific through Indonesia, Japan, and Philippines and along the Being Strait between Russia and Alaska. The Ring of Fire is also explained using the tectonic plates as moving sections of the Earth’s crust. Using this definition, its location also extends around the edge of the edges of the Pacific plates. Such plates include the Pilipino plates that borer the Philippines and Japan, the U.S states California, Oregon, and Washington. It is can also be traced on the Caribbean plates along Mexico and the Nazca Plates along the Western side of South America.

The United States occupies the thirds position behind Indonesia and Japan regarding the historic active events or eruptions that have once been experienced. Over 10 percent of the volcanoes that erupted in the past decades are located in the United States. Most of the in Aleutian Islands, The Alaska Peninsula , the Cascade Range on the Pacific Northwest among others. However, as ties goes by, the geographical events are gradually rising and increasing to over 4 km above the sea level, an example of this is the Hawaii’s Mauna Lao which is currently considered one of the largest volcanoes on the planet earth.

Nations with the highest Risk of Ring of Fire

Nations that are highly vulnerable to the geographical events / earthquake risks in the Ring of Fire include the US West Coast, Chile, the Solomon Islands among others. Other nations include the Mexico, Antarctica, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Canada and Guatemala.

Dangers of the Ring of Fire

Death and destruction occurs within the rocky basin of the pacific, volcanoes and earthquakes. Moreover, the significant amount of energy that is unleashed by the seismic and the volcanic events alters the face of the globe. Additionally, as the earth’s population grows, many people are moving towards the calamity as ever because they put more pressure on the fault line making them vulnerable to the threats of the Ring of Fire.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Ring of Fire is the centre for the deepest oceanic Trench or Mariana Trench, found on Guam, approximately 7 miles deep. The Trench is formed when a tectonic plate was pushed under and over each other. The tectonic activities occurring around the Ring of Fire leads to over 90% of the major geographical events like an earthquake. An example is the Valdivia Earthquake that happened in Chile in 1960 that recorded 9.5 on a Richter scale. The Ring of Fire is also a place where the highest incidences of volcanic activities take place, for instance, at Mount Tambora of Indonesia with the highest volcanic eruption recorded in history signifies the presence of the Ring of Fire. The circum-Pacific Belt also signifies a point where the Ring of Fire meets many other tectonic plates like the Eurasian, the North America and other smaller plates around the great Pacific Plate. Among the major reasons mentioned for the formation of the Ring of Fire and the resulting geographical events include the following; Plates constantly sliding, colliding and moving into and above each other. The movement causes major oceanic trenches, eruptions and earthquake epicenters along the meeting points of the plates/fault lines.

References