PlateTectonics
Plate Tectonics
What are Plate Tectonics?
The earth's crust is made up of a collection of crustal plates that may slowly shift over time. Plate tectonics are the movements of these plates towards (converging), away (diverging), or against (transforming) each other in response to sea floor spreading.[1]
In areas of converging plates, one plate generally slides under another creating a subduction zone. The crust of the lower plate is melted back to molten lava and recycled via sub-crustal-convection currents to areas of diverging plates. There, the new lava rises from underwater volcanoes forming oceanic ridges.[1]
Reef Formation Theory
Both the Caribbean and the Indo-Pacific are regions with significant tectonic activity. The plate tectonics theory explains the growth of ancient coral reefs in response to sea level changes. Ancient reefs submerge or emerge in regions of sea floor spreading or subduction. [1] If the submergence is gradual, the reef may exhibit upward growth in efforts to maintain consistent sunlight.