Ring of Fire : 4 April 2024

What is the Ring of Fire?

• The Ring of Fire, or the Circum-Pacific Belt, is a huge area along the Pacific Ocean known for its active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
• It’s formed by the movements of the Earth’s tectonic plates, especially the massive Pacific Plate interacting with surrounding lighter plates.

Geographical Stretch:

• Spanning about 40,000 kilometers (24,900 miles), it traces the edges of several tectonic plates, including the Pacific, North American, and Philippine Plates, among others.
• The Ring of Fire stretches from the western coast of the Americas over to Asia and down to New Zealand, including areas like Chile, Japan, and Russia.

Cause of Activity:

• The activity in the Ring of Fire is due to the movement of tectonic plates either colliding, moving apart, or sliding past each other.
• This movement leads to the formation of trenches, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes along the plate boundaries.

Features of the Ring of Fire:

• Volcanoes: Home to over 450 active and dormant volcanoes, making up 75% of the world’s total. Notable eruptions include Mount Tambora (1815), Mount Ruiz (1985), and Mount Pinatubo (1991).
• Earthquakes: Responsible for 90% of the world’s earthquakes. Major earthquakes include the Chile earthquake (1960) and the Japan earthquake (2011).
• Island Arcs: These are curved chains of islands formed by volcanic activity, such as the Aleutian Islands and the Mariana Trench, the deepest part of the ocean.
• Trenches: Deep ocean trenches form where tectonic plates collide, causing earthquakes and volcanoes. The Mariana Trench is the deepest known trench.
• Geothermal Resources: The Ring of Fire holds over 40% of the world’s geothermal energy resources, useful for electricity generation and other direct uses.

Why in News:

• Recently, Taiwan, which is located on the ring of fire, was hit by its biggest earthquake in at least 25 years.