Author : Sreemoyee Chakraborty email
Image Source : USGS Plate Tectonic Mapping The Convergent Boundary - There can be 3 different types of interaction in this case -> Oceanic plate-oceanic plate convergence, continental plate-oceanic plate convergence and continental plate-continental plate convergence. In the first two cases volcanic activity is well observed. For these two cases when the plates collide, the denser plate subducts. The oceanic plate consists of many hydrated minerals along with sediments which carry hydrated minerals and as the plate subducts phase transition occurs resulting in dehydration of the minerals. The dehydration leads to release of water which lowers the melting temperature of the minerals present in the mantle wedge thus leading to melting of the same. The molten material then rises through the lithosphere leading to volcanic eruptions. The Divergent Boundary - Along the divergent boundaries two cases may occur – Either two oceanic plates diverge or two continental plates diverge. In case of the divergence of two continental plates initially rifts and then rift valleys are generated with no volcanic eruptions. However when two oceanic plates diverge a long, linear mid oceanic ridge is generated and this is where volcanic eruptions occur. The main cause for volcanism in this region is decompression melting – as the plates diverge there is a release of pressure which lowers the melting temperature of the mantle material leading to melting and upwelling of magma. This is also known as fissure eruption. The Transform Boundary - Volcanism is not much genetically associated along this boundary.
So, if you have read this article carefully then you probably know a little something about Plate Tectonics as well as about the related volcanic eruptions..
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