Cecilia's Geology of Canada: Internal Structure of Earth and Plate Tectonics

PLATE TECTONICS IN CANADA

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Canada is located on the North American tectonic plate's northern part, between the Pacific (on the west) and Eurasian (on the east) plates. It is able to be part continental (North America) and part oceanic (Atlantic Ocean) lithosphere. It's a convergent (subduction) oceanic-continental plate boundary. The reason for knowing such facts about the boundaries of a country's plate tectonic is because it is, in some way, related to the natural geological hazards that have happened and will happen in the future. Knowing exactly where such events like volcanoes and earthquakes will occur is helpful to try to minimize the damage the part of the country will experience.

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is located in the Pacific Northwest (northern CA, OR, WA, and southern BC), a tectonic boundary of 1,300 km long betwixt the Juan de Fuca and west of the Gorda oceanic plates and the continental plate to the east of North America. It's part of Earth's "Ring of Fire" formed by subduction zone processes as tectonic plates collide and pass each other. The Cascadia region is tectonically active. From mid-Vancouver Island to the Juan de Fuca Plate in northern California, it's subducting beneath the North American Plate. Continually move in the direction of one another and "get stuck" when they make contact. A megathrust earthquake occurs when the strain accumulation exceeds the rubbing between the two plates. They mainly happen offshore. One way to know is that it kills vegetation. Underwater landslides off the continental shelf into the deep ocean are caused by megathrust earthquakes. The British Columbia coast area exposed to the open Pacific is at risk of damaging tsunami waves thrusting the movement of megathrust earthquakes.

Below is a video of the Keyhole Hot Springs in British Columbia, Canada. This is a probable outcome caused by a type of volcanic activity. These hot springs are created when the earth's crust heats the groundwater. It then rises to ground level and, at times, is heated by magma.