In late 2018, Indonesians were bewildered to see the Anak Krakatau volcano
erupting, sending ash and rock into the ocean and causing a tsunami that
devasted the country. This eruption was not the only volcanic occurrence,
but over two hundred eruptions occurred that year. All the eruptions
happened in the area known as the Ring of Fire (Source 1). What is the Ring
of Fire and why do eruptions happen in this particular area?
The Ring of Fire is a series of volcanoes that stretch for thousands of miles,
reaching from New Zealand to South America. 90% of Earth’s earthquakes
and 70% of volcanic eruptions happen in this area (Source 1). The Ring of
Fire often includes effects that happen throughout. Scientists found that the
effects are difficult to predict beforehand. Though, the idea of plate tectonics
could help improve our research.
The idea of plate tectonics goes back to 1596, when Abraham Ortelius found
that the coasts of certain continents matched up, like a puzzle. This led
Ortelius to conclude that all the continents were once together but were
“torn away.” Three centuries later, Alfred Wegener, who studied rock
formations, developed the theory of continental drift. He concluded that all
continents were once a single land mass, naming it “Pangaea.” (Source 2)
Convergent boundaries happen when plates collide, pushing one plate
upwards and the other plate is pushed down, or subducted. Many natural
disasters occur on these subducted plates, including tsunamis, earthquakes,
and the Ring of Fire. If none of the plates are subducted, the plates continue
to crash, making new mountain ranges. For instance, the Himalayas are a
result of convergent boundaries (Source 2).
The Ring of Fire is a result of plate tectonics, specifically convergent
boundaries, solving a mystery that has been asked for centuries upon
centuries (Source 2). The Anak Krakatau and other volcanoes on the Ring of
Fire continue to erupt to this day, most recently forming a new island in
Japan named Niijima in 2013 (Source 1). The island continues to grow as
Anak Krakatau erupts.
