Why are the boundaries of the tectonic plates not always easy to identify?
1 Answer
Some boundaries are deep underneath the earth and in deep underwater trenches. Also boundaries are often not single lines that are easy to follow.
Explanation:
For example off the coast of South America there is a subduction zone. The Ocean plate is being pushed under the Continental plate. Where exactly the two plates meet is impossible to determine.
Even faults that are on or near the surface can be difficult to trace.
The famous San Andraes fault in California can be clearly seen in places. In other places the lines of the fault are parallel to each other and are staggered with no direct connections to each other.
The boundaries of the plates may not be sharply divided. The places where the plates met are intermixed and not distinct.
Scientists have a general idea of where the boundaries between the plates are. The exact boundaries because of the depth at which the boundaries occur or the multiple fault lines may not be known.
