Plate Tectonics Primer

Earth's cross section. Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/inside.html  Sixteen rigid fragments of the Earth's crust move in relation to one another. Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/slabs.html  Earth's Topography. Figure source: http://topex.ucsd.edu/marine_topo/mar_topo.html  A large-scale view of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Numerous transform faults can be seen running almost perpendicular along this mid-ocean spreading center.  Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/developing.html  A figure showing the relationship between seafloor spreading and the recycling of the ocean crust. Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/dynamic.html  Figure source: http://core2.gsfc.nasa.gov/dtam/seismic/  Cross-sectional view of the Earth's lithosphere and lower mantle. Also, the figure annotates Earth's three different tectonic plate boundaries: convergent, divergent and transform. Figure source: http://geology.er.usgs.gov/eastern/tectonic.html  Earth's mantle convection. Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/publications/text/unanswered.html  Cross-sectional view of a mantle plume. Figure source: http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/GalapagosWWW/GalapagosGeology.html  Cross-sectional view of plume interaction with the lithosphere. Figure source: http://www.geo.cornell.edu/geology/GalapagosWWW/GalapagosGeology.html  Three-dimensional view of an island chain forming. The Hotspot is relatively stationary with lithospheric plate movement over it's position. Figure source: http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/hawaii/page12.html