969:
421:. It is generally accepted that a piece of the North American Plate was broken off and transported north as the East Pacific Rise propagated northward, creating the Gulf of California. However, it is as yet unclear whether the oceanic crust between the rise and the mainland coast of Mexico is actually a new plate beginning to converge with the North American Plate, consistent with the standard model of rift zone spreading centers generally.
40:
1591:
1615:
1603:
1627:
493:
For the most part, the North
American Plate moves in roughly a southwest direction away from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at a rate of about 2.3 centimeters (~1 inch) per year. At the same time, the Pacific Plate is moving to the northwest at a speed of between 7 and 11 centimeters (~3-4 inches) per year.
380:
period. The
Farallon Plate has almost completely subducted beneath the western portion of the North American Plate, leaving that part of the North American Plate in contact with the Pacific Plate as the San Andreas Fault. The
968:
287:, are also a part of the boundary. The rest of the southerly margin which extends east to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and marks the boundary between the North American Plate and the
600:
494:
The motion of the plate cannot be driven by subduction as no part of the North
American Plate is being subducted, except for a small section comprising part of the
413:
basins and transform fault segments from the northern end of the East
Pacific Rise in the mouth of the gulf to the San Andreas Fault system in the vicinity of the
507:
276:
891:
1683:
1688:
854:
498:; thus other mechanisms continue to be investigated. One study in 2007 suggests that a mantle convective current is propelling the plate.
177:. With an area of 76 million km (29 million sq mi), it is the Earth's second largest tectonic plate, behind the
770:
537:
1516:
1658:
615:
272:
465:
period and are still geologically active, creating earthquakes and volcanoes. The
Yellowstone hotspot is most notable for the
405:
plates are remnants of the
Farallon Plate. The boundary along the Gulf of California is complex. The gulf is underlain by the
1673:
713:
684:
1668:
884:
794:
Eaton, David W.; Frederiksen, Andrew (2007). "Seismic evidence for convection-driven motion of the North
American plate".
742:
406:
292:
256:
648:"Landslides, Floods, and Marine Effects of the Storm of January 3-5, 1982, in the San Francisco Bay Region, California"
1678:
461:
convection is a more likely cause. The
Yellowstone and Anahim hotspots are thought to have first arrived during the
1663:
1631:
1238:
559:
1278:
655:
450:
1653:
1619:
877:
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1554:
1323:
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466:
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228:
847:
When the
Mississippi Ran Backwards : Empire, Intrigue, Murder, and the New Madrid Earthquakes
1569:
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to the craton by tectonic actions over a long span of time. Much of North
America west of the
208:
763:
533:
1494:
1193:
1078:
936:
811:
582:
578:
515:, an ancient intraplate fault zone within the North American Plate, notable as early as 1699
446:
112:
1536:
1499:
1434:
1421:
1318:
1153:
1148:
1103:
1093:
1083:
1000:
921:
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621:. Lisbon: e-Terra, GEOTIC – Sociedade Geológica de Portugal. pp. 1–14. Archived from
438:
323:
307:
252:
248:
232:
150:
622:
807:
1595:
1459:
1411:
1366:
1328:
1283:
1183:
1123:
1073:
1005:
926:
614:
Machado, Adriane; Azevedo, José M. M.; Alemeida, Delia P.M.; Farid Chemale Jr. (2008).
442:
433:
are thought to exist below the North American Plate. The most notable hotspots are the
386:
369:
337:
The westerly boundary is the Queen Charlotte Fault running offshore along the coast of
196:
192:
128:
108:
96:
560:"GPS and tectonic evidence for a diffuse plate boundary at the Azores Triple Junction"
445:(British Columbia) hotspots. These are thought to be caused by a narrow stream of hot
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84:
17:
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1118:
1045:
1040:
1015:
941:
831:
454:
394:
331:
299:
200:
104:
27:
Large tectonic plate including most of North America, Greenland and part of Siberia
705:
676:
302:. The rest of the boundary in the far northwestern part of the plate extends into
223:. Along most of the edges of this craton are fragments of crustal material called
39:
298:
On the northerly boundary is a continuation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge called the
1549:
1544:
1474:
1449:
1444:
1313:
1308:
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1203:
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92:
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1401:
268:
100:
88:
823:
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F.O. Marques, J.C. CatalĂŁo, C.DeMets, A.C.G. Costa, A. Hildenbrand (2013).
377:
815:
470:
462:
303:
224:
216:
170:
124:
116:
647:
215:. The interior of the main continental landmass includes an extensive
338:
220:
174:
120:
869:
306:. This boundary continues from the end of the Gakkel Ridge as the
410:
166:
158:
873:
616:"Geochemistry of Volcanic Rocks from Faial Island (Azores)"
1535:
1420:
1337:
1064:
976:
907:
677:"Farallon Plate [This Dynamic Earth, USGS]"
477:, while the Anahim hotspot is most notable for the
80:
72:
64:
56:
46:
32:
764:"Upper-mantle origin of the Yellowstone hotspot"
310:, on to a transitional deformation zone in the
60:75,900,000 km (29,300,000 sq mi)
184:It extends eastward to the seismically active
885:
706:"Hotspots [This Dynamic Earth, USGS]"
8:
599:: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
207:in eastern Siberia. The plate includes both
1602:
892:
878:
870:
534:"Sizes of Tectonic or Lithospheric Plates"
508:Geologic timeline of Western North America
38:
376:under the North American Plate since the
525:
181:(which borders the plate to the west).
592:
457:, although some geologists think that
76:15–25 mm (0.59–0.98 in)/year
29:
735:"Geotimes - November 2000: New Notes"
7:
1626:
567:Earth and Planetary Science Letters
25:
536:. Geology.about.com. 2014-03-05.
277:Enriquillo–Plantain Garden faults
1625:
1614:
1613:
1601:
1589:
967:
776:from the original on 2007-07-03
745:from the original on 2018-07-11
716:from the original on 2020-04-09
687:from the original on 2020-01-30
658:from the original on 2018-07-20
540:from the original on 2016-06-05
449:convecting up from the Earth's
243:The southern boundary with the
1517:South American–Antarctic Ridge
291:is vague but located near the
235:is composed of such terranes.
1:
1684:Geology of the Atlantic Ocean
1689:Geology of the Pacific Ocean
407:Gulf of California Rift Zone
293:Fifteen-Twenty Fracture Zone
257:Swan Islands Transform Fault
1705:
1470:Galápagos Spreading Center
587:10.1016/j.epsl.2013.08.051
1583:
965:
368:On its western edge, the
135:
37:
1659:Geology of North America
343:Cascadia subduction zone
1512:Pacific-Antarctic Ridge
579:2013E&PSL.381..177M
513:New Madrid Seismic Zone
165:, extreme northeastern
1565:Pacific-Farallon Ridge
1537:Ancient oceanic ridges
1527:Southwest Indian Ridge
1522:Southeast Indian Ridge
1259:Philippine Mobile Belt
203:. and westward to the
190:Azores Triple Junction
1674:Geology of California
845:Feldman, Jay (2005).
363:Middle America Trench
328:Queen Charlotte Fault
255:, represented by the
1669:Geology of Greenland
1440:Central Indian Ridge
520:Notes and references
479:Anahim Volcanic Belt
451:core–mantle boundary
419:Brawley seismic zone
289:South American Plate
279:, which run through
247:to the west and the
147:North American Plate
33:North American Plate
18:North American plate
1555:Kula-Farallon Ridge
816:10.1038/nature05675
808:2007Natur.446..428E
467:Yellowstone Caldera
318:between it and the
195:where it meets the
153:containing most of
1679:Geology of Iceland
1596:Geology portal
1570:Pacific-Kula Ridge
1560:Mid-Labrador Ridge
1485:Mid-Atlantic Ridge
1480:Juan de Fuca Ridge
496:Puerto Rico Trench
441:(New Mexico), and
359:Gulf of California
345:to the north, the
330:system (see also:
326:to the end of the
322:, and finally the
186:Mid-Atlantic Ridge
127:(part of, also on
1664:Geology of Russia
1641:
1640:
1455:East Pacific Rise
856:978-0-7432-4278-3
802:(7134): 428–431.
475:Snake River Plain
355:East Pacific Rise
347:San Andreas Fault
285:Gonâve Microplate
251:to the east is a
143:
142:
16:(Redirected from
1696:
1629:
1628:
1617:
1616:
1605:
1604:
1594:
1593:
1495:Kolbeinsey Ridge
971:
894:
887:
880:
871:
861:
860:
842:
836:
835:
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785:
784:
782:
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739:www.geotimes.org
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611:
605:
604:
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555:
549:
548:
546:
545:
530:
473:that lie in the
136:Relative to the
113:Russian Far East
57:Approximate area
42:
30:
21:
1704:
1703:
1699:
1698:
1697:
1695:
1694:
1693:
1654:Tectonic plates
1644:
1643:
1642:
1637:
1588:
1579:
1531:
1505:Reykjanes Ridge
1490:Knipovich Ridge
1435:Carlsberg Ridge
1416:
1333:
1239:North Galápagos
1060:
972:
963:
932:Indo-Australian
903:
901:Tectonic plates
898:
867:
865:
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857:
844:
843:
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556:
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543:
541:
532:
531:
527:
522:
504:
491:
439:Jemez Lineament
427:
324:Aleutian Trench
308:Laptev Sea Rift
271:. The parallel
253:transform fault
249:Caribbean Plate
241:
233:Rocky Mountains
169:, and parts of
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1700:
1692:
1691:
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1509:
1508:
1507:
1502:
1497:
1492:
1482:
1477:
1472:
1467:
1462:
1460:Explorer Ridge
1457:
1452:
1447:
1442:
1437:
1432:
1426:
1424:
1422:Oceanic ridges
1418:
1417:
1415:
1414:
1409:
1404:
1399:
1394:
1389:
1384:
1379:
1374:
1369:
1364:
1359:
1354:
1352:Bellingshausen
1349:
1343:
1341:
1339:Ancient plates
1335:
1334:
1332:
1331:
1326:
1321:
1316:
1311:
1306:
1301:
1299:South Sandwich
1296:
1294:South Bismarck
1291:
1286:
1281:
1276:
1271:
1266:
1261:
1256:
1251:
1246:
1241:
1236:
1234:North Bismarck
1231:
1226:
1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1186:
1181:
1176:
1174:Juan Fernández
1171:
1166:
1161:
1156:
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1053:
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1038:
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1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
982:
980:
974:
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959:South American
956:
951:
949:North American
946:
945:
944:
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924:
919:
913:
911:
905:
904:
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849:. Free Press.
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786:
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639:
628:on 11 May 2011
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523:
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518:
517:
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510:
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426:
423:
409:, a series of
370:Farallon Plate
365:to the south.
283:and bound the
240:
237:
219:core called a
197:Eurasian Plate
193:plate boundary
151:tectonic plate
141:
140:
133:
132:
129:Eurasian Plate
115:(i.e. part of
109:Gulf of Alaska
97:Atlantic Ocean
82:
78:
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62:
61:
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1592:
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1582:
1576:
1575:Phoenix Ridge
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1137:
1135:
1132:
1130:
1127:
1125:
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1120:
1117:
1115:
1112:
1110:
1107:
1105:
1102:
1100:
1097:
1095:
1092:
1090:
1089:Balmoral Reef
1087:
1085:
1082:
1080:
1077:
1075:
1072:
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1069:
1067:
1063:
1057:
1054:
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1012:
1009:
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947:
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938:
935:
934:
933:
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910:
906:
902:
895:
890:
888:
883:
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868:
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848:
841:
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833:
829:
825:
821:
817:
813:
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805:
801:
797:
790:
787:
772:
765:
759:
756:
744:
740:
736:
730:
727:
715:
711:
710:pubs.usgs.gov
707:
701:
698:
686:
682:
681:pubs.usgs.gov
678:
672:
669:
657:
653:
652:pubs.usgs.gov
649:
643:
640:
624:
617:
610:
607:
602:
596:
588:
584:
580:
576:
572:
568:
561:
554:
551:
539:
535:
529:
526:
519:
514:
511:
509:
506:
505:
501:
499:
497:
488:
486:
484:
480:
476:
472:
469:and the many
468:
464:
460:
456:
452:
448:
444:
440:
436:
432:
424:
422:
420:
416:
415:Salton Trough
412:
408:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
379:
375:
371:
366:
364:
360:
356:
352:
348:
344:
340:
335:
333:
329:
325:
321:
320:Okhotsk Plate
317:
316:Ulakhan Fault
313:
312:Chersky Range
309:
305:
301:
296:
295:around 16°N.
294:
290:
286:
282:
278:
274:
273:Septentrional
270:
266:
265:Motagua Fault
262:
261:Caribbean Sea
258:
254:
250:
246:
238:
236:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
213:oceanic crust
210:
206:
205:Chersky Range
202:
198:
194:
191:
187:
182:
180:
179:Pacific Plate
176:
172:
168:
164:
160:
156:
155:North America
152:
148:
139:
138:African Plate
134:
130:
126:
122:
118:
114:
110:
106:
102:
98:
94:
90:
86:
85:North America
83:
79:
75:
71:
67:
63:
59:
55:
52:
49:
45:
41:
36:
31:
19:
1630:
1618:
1606:
1587:
1465:Gakkel Ridge
1377:Intermontane
1169:Juan de Fuca
1026:New Hebrides
978:Minor plates
948:
909:Major plates
866:
846:
840:
799:
795:
789:
778:. Retrieved
758:
747:. Retrieved
738:
729:
718:. Retrieved
709:
700:
689:. Retrieved
680:
671:
660:. Retrieved
651:
642:
630:. Retrieved
623:the original
609:
595:cite journal
570:
566:
553:
542:. Retrieved
528:
492:
489:Plate motion
459:upper mantle
455:mantle plume
428:
383:Juan de Fuca
367:
336:
332:Aleutian Arc
300:Gakkel Ridge
297:
242:
227:, which are
201:Nubian Plate
183:
146:
144:
105:Arctic Ocean
1550:Alpha Ridge
1545:Aegir Ridge
1500:Mohns Ridge
1475:Gorda Ridge
1450:Cocos Ridge
1445:Chile Ridge
1289:Solomon Sea
1229:North Andes
1219:Molucca Sea
1114:Conway Reef
1099:Bird's Head
1066:Microplates
573:: 177–187.
437:(Wyoming),
435:Yellowstone
314:, then the
245:Cocos Plate
209:continental
163:the Bahamas
123:(part of),
99:, northern
1648:Categories
1430:Aden Ridge
1279:Seychelles
1194:Madagascar
1079:Aegean Sea
1036:Philippine
937:Australian
780:2008-03-29
749:2008-03-29
720:2020-03-13
691:2020-03-13
662:2020-03-13
544:2016-01-11
483:Nazko Cone
374:subducting
361:, and the
351:California
281:Hispaniola
259:under the
239:Boundaries
175:the Azores
93:Bering Sea
1319:Trobriand
1224:Niuafo’ou
1179:Kerguelen
1154:Halmahera
1149:Greenland
1134:Galápagos
1104:Capricorn
1094:Banda Sea
1084:Anatolian
1001:Caribbean
922:Antarctic
453:called a
372:has been
269:Guatemala
101:Caribbean
89:Greenland
1620:Category
1412:Kshiroda
1397:Malvinas
1367:Farallon
1362:Cimmeria
1329:Woodlark
1324:Victoria
1284:Shetland
1184:Kermadec
1124:Explorer
1074:Adriatic
1006:Caroline
927:Eurasian
824:17377580
771:Archived
743:Archived
714:Archived
685:Archived
656:Archived
632:17 April
538:Archived
502:See also
471:calderas
431:hotspots
425:Hotspots
387:Explorer
378:Jurassic
349:through
341:and the
267:through
263:and the
229:accreted
225:terranes
217:granitic
81:Features
65:Movement
1632:Commons
1407:Phoenix
1382:Izanagi
1372:Insular
1357:Charcot
1274:Sangihe
1244:Okinawa
1214:Mariana
1199:Malpelo
1189:Lwandle
1164:Iranian
1159:Iberian
1056:Yangtze
1031:Okhotsk
991:Arabian
986:Amurian
954:Pacific
917:African
832:4420814
804:Bibcode
575:Bibcode
481:in the
463:Miocene
357:in the
304:Siberia
188:at the
171:Iceland
125:Iceland
117:Siberia
1347:Baltic
1269:Rovuma
1264:Rivera
1249:Panama
1139:Gonâve
1129:Futuna
1119:Easter
1046:Somali
1041:Scotia
1016:Indian
942:Indian
853:
830:
822:
796:Nature
485:area.
447:mantle
443:Anahim
429:A few
395:Rivera
353:, the
339:Alaska
221:craton
121:Azores
1392:Lhasa
1314:Tonga
1309:Tisza
1304:Timor
1254:Pelso
1209:Maoke
1204:Manus
1144:Gorda
1109:Coiba
1051:Sunda
1021:Nazca
1011:Cocos
996:Burma
828:S2CID
774:(PDF)
767:(PDF)
626:(PDF)
619:(PDF)
563:(PDF)
417:rift/
403:Nazca
399:Cocos
391:Gorda
149:is a
73:Speed
51:Major
1608:List
1387:Kula
851:ISBN
820:PMID
634:2010
601:link
411:rift
401:and
275:and
211:and
199:and
173:and
167:Asia
159:Cuba
145:The
68:west
47:Type
1402:Moa
812:doi
800:446
583:doi
571:381
334:).
119:),
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810:.
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597:}}
593:{{
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103:,
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91:,
87:,
893:e
886:t
879:v
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814::
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585::
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