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A tectonic plate is a piece of the Earth's lithosphere that is distinguished from other neighbouring plates by relative displacement across the boundaries between them. Tectonic plates are the basis of the theory of plate tectonics and have been created, destroyed, merged, split and modified throughout the history of the Earth since at the least the end of the Archean.
Boundaries with other plates
editThere are three types of plate boundary; convergent, divergent and conservative depending on whether the adjacent plates are moving together, apart or sliding past each other. These are also known as trench, ridge and transform fault, shortened to T,R and F.[1]
Lithosphere—Asthenosphere boundary
editThe base of all tectonic plates is the boundary between the lithosphere and the underlying asthenosphere.
Identification of plates
editPresent day plates
editPast plates
editProtoplates
editIn some cases existing plates appear to be breaking up into two or more new plates and these are known as protoplates.
References
edit- ^ Schettino A. (2014). Quantitative Plate Tectonics: Physics of the Earth - Plate Kinematics – Geodynamics. Springer. ISBN 9783319091358.