The Pacific Ring of Fire

The Pacific Ring of Fire

THE PACIFIC RING OF FIRE

The Pacific Ring Of Fire [see Picture 1] is a belt of volcanoes and intense seismic activity that surrounds the pacific basin. It runs from Chile, northwards along the South America coast through Central America, Mexico, the west coast of the United States and southern part of Alaska, through the Aleutian Islands to Japan, the Philippines and Indonesia before curving back to Papua New Guinea, the south west pacific islands and New Zealand {http://geography.about.com}. This report will include some of the features; what scientists believe about the occurrence of earthquakes and volcanoes in this region and some safety precautions for people who live around the Pacific Ring of Fire.

SOME FEATURES OF THE PACIFIC RING OF FIRE
The Ring of fire has many features. It contains 75% of the world’s volcanos (active and dormant) {http://geography.about.com} and 90% of the world’s earthquakes {http://www.care2.com}. Earthquakes and Volcanos are very prominent in this area because of the pacific plate grinding, colliding and spreading apart from the other plates that line it. Also, most of the volcanoes in the pacific ring of fire are under water or partially under water. This makes them very dangerous when they erupt because the magma under them contains a lot of water. High temperatures make it into a superheated gas. The water also lowers the melting temperature of rocks, making it easier for them to be converted to large amounts of magma, which is then added to existing quantities which contribute to increasing the strength of the eruption {http://news.softpedia.com}.
Some Famous eruptions Include {http://www.care2.com}:
* 26th – 27th August, 1883: The Volcano, Krakatoa, erupted killing nearly 40, 000 people when a tsunami crashes into Java and Sumatra and is felt as far away as England.
* 18th May, 1980: Mount Helen, south west Washington, erupts killing 57. The volcano was said to be triggered by 5.1 magnitude seismic activity....

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