Wilson Cycle Lab Through numerous reading summary exercises this semester, you have been introduced to one of the most comprehensive ideas in the geosciences – the concept of Plate Tectonics. This...

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Wilson Cycle Lab Through numerous reading summary exercises this semester, you have been introduced to one of the most comprehensive ideas in the geosciences – the concept of Plate Tectonics. This overarching concept explains numerous phenomena, including the dissipation of earth’s internal heat over time, the current modification of the earth’s surface through lithospheric movement, the separation and convergence of supercontinents, the opening and closing of ocean basins, as well as long-term climatic fluctuations. The repeated cyclicity of ocean basin formation and destruction, along with continental growth and fragmentation, is captured in the tectonic sub-concept of the Wilson Cycle, named after the geophysicist J. Tuzo Wilson. Use the links provided below to further explore this concept and create a visual comparison of modern and/or ancient examples of the stages of this tectonic cycle. The resulting Word document should be saved with an appropriate title and submitted to our Canvas site by the specified due date. Background Information: https://polarpedia.eu/en/wilson-cycle/ https://sp.lyellcollection.org/content/470/1/1/tab-figures-data You may need to perform your own web searches to gather information beyond the sites above. Make certain to cite your sources where you use them in the document you create. Resource Tools: Google Earth - Download and install Google Earth Pro for Desktop (Do not use web or mobile version) https://www.google.com/earth/versions/ - Download KMZ file, open in Google Earth Pro to see plate boundaries and motion direction https://www.usgs.gov/media/files/plate-boundaries-kmz-file USGS Latest Earthquakes Map - https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map/?extent=10.57422,-148.44727&extent=58.53959,-41.57227 Lab Exercise: Follow the steps below to collect, display, and interpret information for each of the six stages of the Wilson Cycle (as presented on the Polarpedia site). Label each section of your lab with the appropriate stage name as a heading, and then label all images as captions. Give APA citations for all sources used within each section, including the sites provided if used. 1. Locate two modern examples or both a modern example and an ancient example of each stage of the cycle, visible at the surface of the earth. 2. In Google Earth, navigate to the site of each example and adjust the viewing altitude and angle to properly display the surface features of the area. Use the snipping tool or print screen function to capture and crop an image of the example location and paste it into your Word document in the appropriate stage section. Label the image. 3. In the USGS Latest Earthquakes map, navigate to the site of each example and adjust the viewing altitude to properly display the surface features of the area. Be sure to turn on the Ocean or Terrain overlay to show the greatest surface detail. Also select the 30 Days, All Magnitudes data display to show the greatest amount of recent earthquake activity possible in the area. Capture the image and paste and label it in your Word document as in Step 2 above. 4. For each image, in each example, in each stage, describe the surface topography in the caption, in your own words. Also note the frequency and intensity of seismic activity in the area in the last 30 days, even if there is none. 5. In a set of summary statements, define and describe the stage of the cycle being displayed. Then, for each pair of modern and/or modern and ancient examples, compare the level of current seismic activity. Is the ancient example completely inactive at the present? Which modern example is more active? Does this level of activity fit with the surficial development of this feature? 6. Give APA citations for all sources used within each section, including the sites provided if used. To be clear, each of the six stages will contain the following: A heading Four labeled images with captions A set of summary/comparative statements APA citations
Answered 3 days AfterJul 23, 2021

Answer To: Wilson Cycle Lab Through numerous reading summary exercises this semester, you have been introduced...

Taskin answered on Jul 27 2021
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WILSON CYCLE LAB EXERCISE SOLUTIONS
The Wilson Plate Tectonic Cycle (Dewey and Burke, 1974, Burke and Dewey, 1975) shows frequent opening followed by closing of ocean basin (mainly Atlantic Ocean) which goes through six stages to accomplish the cycle whereby again starting from the initial stage which is Rifting of the Continent followed by Immature to Mature ocean and ending with the Subduction process which ends the cycle, along the same continental boundaries from which its started to split(Wilson et al., 2019). Rifting and Mountain Building processes plays a significant role in t
he region like these weakened Lithosphere thereby eases the possible deformation in the near future (Audet & Bürgmann 2011; Buiter & Torsvik 2014). J.Tuzo Wilson codify the model of the plate tectonic (Wilson, 1965, Wilson, 1968).
There are six stages which elaborate the Wilson cycle and they are;
1) Embryonic Stage: Upliftment of the crustal plate is dominant in this stage of Wilson Cycle. Rift valleys are characteristic features of this stage. Major rock types linked in the first stage are Tholeitic basalts, Alkali basalts.
Modern examples include: East African Rift (Active) and Gulf of Suez, Egypt (Active).
Fig 1 (a): Google Earth image of East African Rift (EAR). EAR also known as Afro-Arabian Rift Valley as it extends from Jorden (SW Asia) southward and moves through Eastern Africa to Mozambique. EAR is one of the most prominent extensive rifts on Earth’s Surface. Many lakes in the rift are fjordlike and much deeper. The formation of rifts triggered somewhat 30Ma back and still continuing.
Source: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2017, February 21). East African Rift System. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/East-African-Rift-System.
Fig 1 (b): USGS Earthquake map (at the earliest 30 Days) of East African Rift. No recent Earthquake activity shown in and around the region of East African Rift. Among the modern example this is one of the region who seems to be dead i.e., no seismic activity in recent time (i.e., within one month).
Source- ESRI, HERE, Gar min © open street map contributor and the GIS user community.
Fig 1 (c): Google Earth image of Gulf of Suez, Egypt. It is a north western flank of the Red Sea in between western portion of Africa and Sinai Peninsula (Eastern parts of Egypt). Suez Canal link Gulf of Suez to Mediterranean Sea which is significant Shipping route. Gulf of Suez is approximately 180-210feet deep which is a shallow depth.
Source: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2015, January 16). Gulf of Suez. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Suez.
Fig 1 (d): USGS Earthquake map (at the earliest 30 Days) of Gulf of Suez, Egypt. No recent Earthquake activity shown in and around the region of Gulf of Suez, Egypt. Among the modern example this is one of the region who seems to be dead i.e., no seismic activity in recent time (i.e., within one month).
Source- ESRI, HERE, Gar min © open street map contributor and the GIS user community.
2) Young Ocean: Horizontal extension/spreading is dominant in this stage resulting in narrow seaways with central depression and young active spreading ridge. Igneous rock types found here are Tholeitic basalts (inc MORB), Alkali basalts and sediments like Evaporates, Shelf and Basin deposits. Thermal low grade metamorphism is also observed.
Modern examples include: Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Fig 2 (a): Google Earth image of Red Sea. Arabian Peninsula and North Africa is divided by Red Sea which lies in a Fault Depression. The trough shaped topography of the sea floor of Red Sea is quite rugged with V-shaped indented forms on the sea floor. Submarine Ridges (Sills) feature also present on the floor of Red Sea.
Source: Schreiber, B. Charlotte and Ryan, . William B.F. (2020, May 15). Red Sea. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Red-Sea.
Fig 2 (b): USGS Earthquake map (at the earliest 30 Days) of Red Sea. No recent seismic activity shown in and around these region. Among the modern example this is one of the region who seems to be dead i.e., no seismic activity in recent time (i.e., within one month).
Source- ESRI, HERE, Gar min © open street map contributor and the GIS user community.
Fig 2 (c): Google Earth image of Gulf of Aden. It is a deep water basin which connects the route between Arabian Sea and Red Sea. Sheba Ridge (rough topography) which is a continuation of Indian Ocean Ridge system is the prominent relief feature of this gulf. Sea floor of the Gulf of Aden spreads away from the axis of the Sheba Ridge.
Source: Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia (2019, March 26). Gulf of Aden. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Aden.
Fig 2 (d): USGS Earthquake map (at the earliest 30 Days) of Gulf of Aden. No recent seismic activity shown in and around the region of Gulf of Aden. Among the modern example this is one of the region who seems to be dead i.e., no seismic activity in recent time (i.e., within one month).
Source- ESRI, HERE, Gar min © open street map contributor and the GIS user community.
3) Mature Stage: In this stage basin subsidence yields large ocean basins with active spreading ridge which means spreading is still plays pivotal role. Igneous rock types include Tholeitic basalt, Alkali basalt with abundant shelf to deep marine sediments deposits. This stage too shows thermal low grade metamorphism.
Modern examples include: Atlantic Ocean and Western Indian Ocean.
Fig 3 (a): Google Earth image of Atlantic Ocean. Atlantic Ocean is S-shaped and narrow in length with an average depth of 3300meters and maximum depth of 8380meters. Mid Atlantic ridge (huge median mountain range) is an spectacular feature of the ocean floor having breadth of 1600km. Seamounts, Abyssa Hills also...
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