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Plate Tectonics

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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology

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Definition

“Plate tectonics” (from the Greek │έ∣│Ҡ = builder) refers to the theory describing the motion of the plates, 100–200 km thick, which form Earth’s lithosphere. These rigid plates, which consist of continental or oceanic crust underlain by lithospheric mantle, are displaced above the higher-density and lower-strength asthenosphere. They move with respect to each other along one of three possible plate boundaries: convergent (or subduction/collisional) boundaries; divergent (or spreading), and transform boundaries (where plates move parallel to each other). Earthquakes and magmas produced by mantle melting characterize most plate boundaries.

Convergent boundaries are expressed by topographic lows called trenches, which coincide with sites of subduction of oceanic plates. Also involved are orogenic processes leading to the formation of mountain chains, with subsequent regional metamorphism and continental partial melting. Spreading centers coincide with topographic highs, called...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole et Observatoire de Science de la Terre, Institute de Physique de Globe, Université de Strasbourg, 1 rue Blessig, Strasbourg, 67000, France

    Karel Schulmann & Hubert Whitechurch

Authors
  1. Karel Schulmann
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  2. Hubert Whitechurch
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karel Schulmann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Schulmann, K., Whitechurch, H. (2014). Plate Tectonics. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1239-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1239-4

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

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