Subduction (Noun)
Meaning
A geological process in which one edge of a crustal plate is forced sideways and downward into the mantle below another plate.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The process of subduction is a critical factor in the formation of deep-sea trenches and the creation of volcanic island arcs.
- Subduction occurs when a dense oceanic plate collides with a less dense continental plate, forcing the oceanic plate beneath the surface.
- Scientists have long been fascinated by the subduction of one tectonic plate beneath another, a complex and still poorly understood process.
- Subduction zones are characterized by intense seismic activity, as the descending plate encounters increasing heat and pressure.
- The subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the North American plate has shaped the geology of the western coast of North America over millions of years.