Tuesday, May 7, 2013

The Himalayas: FISH OUT OF WATER! In a continent-continent collision boundary! (Coordinates: 30°37'58.08"N, 79°48'57.18"E)

Well, here I am, live from the Himalayas! Yes, on land! Those Himalayas! I said it was a surprise! How did I get here? My adoring fans are carrying me around, and I'm in a plastic baggie, just like back in the dentist's office. Aah! That's Darla! Hide me, #1 Fan number 56874! No, you don't have to type that. So, anyway, I am here, at a boundary between tectonic plates, specifically a collision boundary between continental plates. You might be wondering how the science works for this, so look at this picture below!
The continental plates collide, and neither really gives way, so after many earthquakes, the two plates push against each other until mountains are formed and the plates weld into a larger continent. This is how the Indian subcontinent became attached to the larger Eurasian plate. Did you know that this is how the Himalayas were formed? And did you know that the Himalayas are not volcanoes? When the mountain ranges are created by the collision of continental plates, no magma is forced up from the mantle, so the mountains do not become volcanoes. However, there is still earthquake activity due to the plates rubbing against each other.
I hope I'll see you in my next destination. Squirt picked it, and he won't tell me what it is! I have to go now and get back in the ocean soon. This Ziploc makes me nervous.


1 comment:

  1. I love the creativeness of the story and it's still very explanatory!

    ReplyDelete