What is the Ring of Fire? Ocean Exploration Facts | One Ocean, Many Features The Ring of Fire is a string of underwater volcanoes and earthquake sites around the edges of the Pacific Ocean. An explosion near the summit of West Mata volcano within the Lau Basin throws ash and rock, while molten lava glows below. The image area is about six feet (1.8 meters) across in an eruptive zone about the length of a football field that runs along the summit. Image courtesy of NSF and NOAA. Did You Know? The Northeast Lau Basin, located near Fiji, is a part of the Ring of Fire where ocean plates both come together and separate at the highest rates on the planet. Several expeditions to the area have revealed that the basin is home to one of the most concentrated areas of active submarine volcanism and hot springs found anywhere on Earth. Did you know that most of the active volcanoes on Earth are located underwater, along the aptly named Ring of Fire in the Pacific Ocean? The Ring of Fire includes more than 450 volcanoes.

It stretches for nearly 25,000 miles, running in the shape of a horseshoe (as opposed to an actual ring) from the southern tip of South America, along the west coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, down through Japan, and into New Zealand. The Ring of Fire is the result of plate tectonics. Much of the volcanic activity occurs along subduction zones which are convergent plate boundaries where two tectonic plates come together. The heavier plate is shoved (or subducted) under the other plate. When this happens, melting of the plates produces magma. The magma rises up through the overlying plate, erupting to the surface as a volcano. Subduction zones are also where Earth’s deepest ocean trenches are located and where deep earthquakes happen. The trenches form because as one plate subducts under another, it is bent downward. Earthquakes occur as the two plates scrape against each other and as the subducting plate bends.

The Ring of Fire - Pacific Ocean Share By Matt Rosenberg The Ring of Fire is a 25,000 mile (40,000 km) horseshoe-shaped area of intense volcanic and seismic ( earthquake ) activity that follows the edges of the Pacific Ocean. Receiving its fiery name from the 452 active and dormant volcanoes that lie within it, the Ring of Fire includes 75% of the world's active volcanoes and is also responsible for 90% of the world's earthquakes. Where Is the Ring of Fire? The Ring of Fire is an arc of mountains, volcanoes, and oceanic trenches that stretch from New Zealand northward along the eastern edge of Asia, then east across the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and then south along the western coasts of North and South America. What Created the Ring of Fire? The Ring of Fire was created by plate tectonics . Tectonic plates are like giant rafts on the Earth's surface that often slide next to, collide with, and are forced underneath each other. The Pacific Plate is quite large and thus it borders (and interacts) with a number of large and small plates.

continue reading below our video The Pacific Ring of Fire The interactions between the Pacific Plate and its surrounding tectonic plates creates a tremendous amount of energy, which, in turn, easily melts rocks into magma. This magma then rises to the surface as lava and forms volcanoes. Major Volcanoes in the Ring of Fire With 452 volcanoes, the Ring of Fire has some that are more famous that others. The following is a listing of major volcanoes in the Ring of Fire. The Andes -- Running 5,500 miles (8,900 km) north and south along the western edge of South America , the Andes Mountains are the longest, continental mountain range in the world. The Andean Volcanic Belt is within the mountain range and is broken up into four volcanic zones that include such active volcanoes as Cotopaxi and Cerro Azul. It is also home to the highest, active volcano -- Ojos del Salado. Popocatepetl -- Popocatepetl is an active volcano in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Located near Mexico City, this volcano is considered by many to be the most dangerous in the world since a large eruption could potentially kill millions of people. Mt.

Saint Helens -- The Cascade Mountains in the United States' Pacific Northwest hosts the 800 mile (1,300 km) Cascade Volcanic Arc. The Cascades contain 13 major volcanoes and nearly 3,000 other volcanic features. The most recent eruption in the Cascades occurred at Mt. Saint Helens in 1980. Aleutian Islands -- Alaska's Aleutian Islands, which consist of 14 large and 55 small islands, were made from volcanic activity. The Aleutians contain 52 volcanoes, with a few of the most active being Cleveland, Okmok, and Akutan. The deep Aleutian Trench, which also sits next to the islands, has been created at the subduction zone with a maximum depth of 25,194 feet (7679 meters). Mt. Fuji -- Located on the Japanese island of Honshu, Mt. Fuji, at 12,380 feet (3,776 m), is the tallest mountain in Japan and the world's most visited mountain. However, Mt.

Fuji is more than a mountain, it is an active volcano that last erupted in 1707. Krakatoa -- In the Indonesia Island Arc sits Krakatoa, remembered for its massive eruption on August 27, 1883 that killed 36,000 people and was heard 2,800 miles away (it is considered the loudest sound in modern history). The Indonesian Island Arc is also home to Mt. Tambora, whose eruption on April 10, 1815 was the largest in major history, being calculated as a 7 on the Volcanic Explosion Index (VEI). Mt. Ruapehu -- Rising to 9,177 feet (2797 m), Mt. Ruapehu is the tallest mountain on the North Island of New Zealand. Located in the southern section of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, Mt. Ruapehu is New Zealand's most active volcano. As a place that produces most of the world's volcanic activity and earthquakes, the Ring of Fire is a fascinating place. Understanding more about the Ring of Fire and being able to accurately predict volcanic eruptions and earthquakes may help eventually save millions of lives.

What is the "Ring of Fire?" | Volcano World | Oregon State University What is the "Ring of Fire?" is a ring of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean that result from subduction of oceanic plates beneath lighter continental plates. . Most of the Earth's volcanoes are located around the Pacific Ring of Fire because that the location of most of the Earth's subduction zones. A subduction zone is a place where one plate of oceanic lithosphere (= the crust + uppermost mantle ) is shoved under another plate. The downgoing plate is always the oceanic one. All while it was oceanic plate it collected water-saturated sediments and its uppermost few hundred meters got water saturated also. As it is shoved into the hotter mantle the plate heats up and all this water and other volatiles boil off and migrate upwards through the overlying plate. The addition of volatiles such as water to the hot overlying mantle causes partial melting and the production of magma . This magma rises up through the over-lying plate to erupt at the surface. If the overlying plate is a continent, you get a chain of volcanoes such as the Andes or Cascades.

If the overlying plate is ocean you get a chain of volcanic islands such as the Marianas or Aleutians. This is also where the Earth's deep ocean trenches are and where the Earth's deep earthquakes are. The trenches form because the downgoing plate is bent downward as it subducts. The earthquakes form as the two plates scrape against each other (earthquakes down to about 150 km) and then as the downgoing plate bends (earthquakes down to about 700 km). The earthquakes do a very good job of tracing the position of the downgoing plate. These zones of earthquakes are called Wadati-Benioff zones, after the two seismologists who first recognized them. More than 450 volcanoes in Ring of Fire | Earth | EarthSky More than 450 volcanoes in Ring of Fire By Deanna Conners in Earth | Science Wire | August 13, 2016 The Pacific’s Ring of Fire has 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes, plus it’s prone to powerful earthquakes. Here’s why.

Image via Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park The Ring of Fire is a long chain of volcanoes and other tectonically active structures that surround the Pacific Ocean. The chain runs up along the western coast of South and North America, crosses over the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, runs down the eastern coast of Asia past New Zealand and into the northern coast of Antarctica. The Ring of Fire is one of the most geologically active areas on Earth, and is a site for frequent earthquakes and powerful volcanic eruptions. There are more than 450 active and dormant volcanoes located within the Ring of Fire. Many of these volcanoes were created through the tectonic process of subduction whereby dense ocean plates collide with and slide under lighter continental plates. Many volcanoes on Earth are located around the Pacific Ring of Fire. Image Credit: U.S. Geological Survey. The material from the ocean floor melts as it enters the Earth’s interior and then rises to the nearby surface as magma. Noteworthy volcanoes that dot the Ring of Fire include Mount St. Helens in the USA, Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines.

Since 1850, approximately 90% of the 16 most powerful volcanic eruptions on Earth have occurred within the Pacific Ring of Fire. Image of an oceanic plate being subducted under a continental plate. Image Credit: U.S. Geological Survey. Deep ocean trenches are a common feature of the Ring of Fire. These trenches form along subduction zones where slabs of the ocean floor slide into the Earth. The deepest part of the ocean on Earth, the Mariana Trench, is located along the Ring of Fire in the western portion of the Pacific Ocean Basin. The majority of Earth’s earthquakes occur in the Ring of Fire, too. These earthquakes are caused by the sudden lateral or vertical movement of rock along plate margins. About 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes have occurred along the Ring of Fire. The largest earthquake ever recorded on Earth was a 9.5 magnitude earthquake that struck Chile on May 22, 1960.

Other noteworthy earthquakes that have occurred along the Ring of Fire include a 9.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Prince William Sound, Alaska on March 28, 1964, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Sumatra on December 26, 2004 and a 9.0 earthquake that struck near the coast of Honshu, Japan on March 11, 2011. A September 2010 eruption of Mount Yasur in Vanuatu. Image appears courtesy of Tom Pfeiffer, Volcano Discovery . Despite the high levels of volcanic and seismic activity, millions of people live among the breathtaking landscapes of the Ring of Fire. Scientists are currently working with government officials to help nations in the region improve their response to natural disasters and build their resiliency. Bottom line: The Ring of Fire is a long chain of volcanoes and other tectonically active structures such as ocean trenches and earthquake fault zones that surround the Pacific Ocean. Approximately 90% of the most powerful volcanic eruptions and about 81% of the world’s largest earthquakes have occurred along the Ring of Fire.

The Ring of Fire is home to millions of people who are working to improve their resiliency to natural disasters. Ring of Fire - National Geographic Society Ring of Fire Geologic features along the Ring of Fire include not only volcanoes, but ocean trenches, mountain trenches, hydrothermal vents, and sites of earthquake activity. Map courtesy USGS Jolting Japan The island nation of Japan lies along the western edge of the Ring of Fire, and is one of the most tectonically active places on Earth. As much as 10% of the world’s volcanic activity takes place in Japan. Cooling Ring The Pacific Plate, which drives much of the tectonic activity in the Ring of Fire, is cooling off. Scientists have discovered that the youngest parts of the Pacific Plate (about 2 million years old) are cooling off and contracting at a faster rate than older parts of the plate (about 100 million years old). The younger parts of the plate are found in its northern and western parts—the most active parts of the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a string of volcano es and sites of seismic activity, or earthquakes, around the edges of the Pacific Ocean.

Roughly 90% of all earthquake s occur along the Ring of Fire, and the ring is dotted with 75% of all active volcano es on Earth. The Ring of Fire isn’t quite a circular ring. It is shaped more like a 40,000-kilometer (25,000-mile) horseshoe . A string of 452 volcanoes stretches from the southern tip of South America, up along the coast of North America, across the Bering Strait , down through Japan, and into New Zealand. Several active and dormant volcano es in Antarctica, however, “close” the ring. Plate Boundaries The Ring of Fire is the result of plate tectonics . Tectonic plate s are huge slabs of the Earth’s crust , which fit together like pieces of a puzzle. The plates are not fixed but are constantly moving atop a layer of solid and molten rock called the mantle . Sometimes these plates collide , move apart, or slide next to each other. Most tectonic activity in the Ring of Fire occurs in these geologic ally active zones. Convergent Boundaries A convergent plate boundary is formed by tectonic plates crashing into each other.

Convergent boundaries are often subduction zone s, where the heavier plate slips under the lighter plate, creating a deep trench . This subduction changes the dense mantle material into buoyant magma , which rises through the crust to the Earth’s surface. Over millions of years, the rising magma creates a series of active volcanoes known as a volcanic arc . If you were to drain the water out of the Pacific Ocean, you would see a series of deep ocean trenches that run parallel to correspond ing volcanic arcs along the Ring of Fire. These arcs create both island s and continent al mountain range s. The Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska, for example, run parallel to the Aleutian Trench. Both geographic features continue to form as the Pacific Plate subduct s beneath the North American Plate. The Aleutian Trench reaches a maximum depth of 7,679 meters (25,194 feet). The Aleutian Islands have 27 of the United States’ 65 historically active volcanoes. The Andes Mountains of South America run parallel to the Peru-Chile Trench, created as the Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate.

The Andes Mountains include the world’s highest active volcano, Nevados Ojos del Salado, which rises to 6,879 meters (over 22,500 feet) along the Chile-Argentina border. Many volcanoes in Antarctica are so geologically linked to the South American part of the Ring of Fire that some geologists refer to the region as the “Antarctandes.” Divergent Boundaries A divergent boundary is formed by tectonic plates pulling apart from each other. Divergent boundaries are the site of seafloor spreading and rift valley s. Seafloor spreading is the process of magma welling up in the rift as the old crust pulls itself in opposite directions. Cold seawater cools the magma, creating new crust. The upward movement and eventual cooling of this magma has created high ridges on the ocean floor over millions of years. The East Pacific Rise is a site of major seafloor spreading in the Ring of Fire. The East Pacific Rise is located on the divergent boundary of the Pacific Plate and the Cocos Plate (west of Central America), the Nazca Plate (west of South America), and the Antarctic Plate.

The largest known group of volcanoes on Earth is found underwater along the portion of the East Pacific Rise between the coasts of northern Chile and southern Peru. Transform Boundaries A transform boundary is formed as tectonic plates slide horizontal ly past each other. Parts of these plates get stuck at the places where they touch. Stress builds in those areas as the rest of the plates continue to move. This stress causes the rock to break or slip, suddenly lurch ing the plates forward and causing earthquakes. These areas of breakage or slippage are called fault s. The majority of Earth’s faults can be found along transform boundaries in the Ring of Fire. The San Andreas Fault, stretching along the central west coast of North America, is one of the most active faults on the Ring of Fire. It lies on the transform boundary between the North American Plate, which is moving south, and the Pacific Plate, which is moving north. Measuring about 1,287 kilometers (800 miles) long and 16 kilometers (10 miles) deep, the fault cuts through the western part of the U.S. state of California.

Movement along the fault caused the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, which destroyed nearly 500 city blocks. The earthquake and accompanying fires killed roughly 3,000 people and left half of the city’s resident s homeless. Hot Spots The Ring of Fire is also home to hot spot s, areas deep within the Earth’s mantle from which heat rises. This heat facilitate s the melting of rock in the brittle , upper portion of the mantle. The melted rock, known as magma, often pushes through cracks in the crust to form volcanoes. Hot spots are not generally associated with the interaction or movement of Earth’s tectonic plates. For this reason, many geologist s do not consider hot spot volcanoes part of the Ring of Fire. Mount Erebus, the most southern active volcano on Earth, sits over the eruptive zone of the Erebus hot spot in Antarctica. This glacier -covered volcano has a lava lake at its summit , and has been consistently erupt ing since it was first discovered in 1841.

Active Volcanoes in the Ring of Fire Most of the active volcanoes on The Ring of Fire are found on its western edge, from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, through the islands of Japan and Southeast Asia, to New Zealand. Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand is one of the more active volcanoes in the Ring of Fire, with yearly minor eruptions, and major eruption s occurring about every 50 years. It stands 2,797 meters (9,177 feet) high. Mount Ruapehu is part of the Taupo Volcanic Arc, where the dense Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the Australian Plate. Krakatau, perhaps better known as Krakatoa , is an island volcano in Indonesia. Krakatoa erupts less often than Mount Ruapehu, but much more spectacular ly. Beneath Krakatoa, the denser Australian Plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. An infamous eruption in 1883 destroyed the entire island, sending volcanic gas , volcanic ash , and rocks as high as 80 kilometers (50 miles) in the air.

A new island volcano, Anak Krakatau, has been forming with minor eruptions ever since. Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest and most famous mountain, is an active volcano in the Ring of Fire. Mount Fuji last erupted in 1707, but recent earthquake activity in eastern Japan may have put the volcano in a “critical state.” Mount Fuji sits at a “ triple junction ,” where three tectonic plates (the Amur Plate, Okhotsk Plate, and Philippine Plate) interact. The Ring of Fire’s eastern half also has a number of active volcanic areas, including the Aleutian Islands, the Cascade Mountains in the western U.S., the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, and the Andes Mountains. Mount St. Helens, in the U.S. state of Washington, is an active volcano in the Cascade Mountains. Below Mount St. Helens, both the Juan de Fuca and Pacific plates are being subducted beneath the North American Plate. Mount St. Helens lies on a particularly weak section of crust, which makes it more prone to eruptions. Its historic 1980 eruption lasted 9 hours and covered nearby areas in tons of volcanic ash.

Popocatépetl is one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the Ring of Fire. The mountain is one of Mexico’s most active volcanoes, with 15 recorded eruptions since 1519. The volcano lies on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, which is the result of the small Cocos Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate. Located close to the urban area s of Mexico City and Puebla, Popocatépetl poses a risk to the more than 20 million people that live close enough to be threaten ed by a destructive eruption. Term to join with someone or something. active volcano Noun volcano that has had a recorded eruption since the last glacial period, about 10,000 years ago. Anak Krakatau Noun active volcanic island on the site of the former island of Krakatoa in the Sunda Strait in Indonesia. Andes Mountains mountain range extending along the western coast of South America. Bering Strait Noun narrow body of water connecting the Bering Sea and the Arctic Ocean, separating the continents of North America and Asia. brittle mountains extending along the northwest coast of North America. city large settlement with a high population density.

coast maintaining a steady, reliable quality. continent convergent plate boundary Noun area where two or more tectonic plates bump into each other. Also called a collision zone. correspond to match or be similar to. crust having parts or molecules that are packed closely together. destructive divergent boundary Noun area where two or more tectonic plates are moving away from each other. Also called an extensional boundary. dormant volcano volcano that has erupted in the past but is unlikely to erupt soon. earthquake Noun the sudden shaking of Earth's crust caused by the release of energy along fault lines or from volcanic activity. East Pacific Rise mid-ocean ridge where several tectonic plates are moving apart from one another. erupt to explode or suddenly eject material. eruption release of material from an opening in the Earth's crust. facilitate to help or make easier. fault a crack in the Earth's crust where there has been movement. geologic having to do with the physical formations of the Earth. geologist person who studies the physical formations of the Earth. glacier left-right direction or parallel to the Earth and the horizon.

horseshoe C-shaped thick metal sheet nailed to a horse's foot to protect it from damaging surfaces. hot spot Noun intensely hot region deep within the Earth that rises to just underneath the surface. Some hot spots produce volcanoes. having a very bad reputation. interaction relationship between two or more forces, objects, or organisms. island island in Indonesia, site of major volcanic eruption in 1883. Also called Krakatau. lava lake lava pooled in the center of a volcano's caldera or crater. lurch to suddenly stagger or sway. magma solid material turned to liquid by heat. mountain range series or chain of mountains that are close together. parallel equal distance apart, and never meeting. peninsula movement and interaction of the Earth's plates. prone vulnerable or tending to act in a certain way. region Noun any area on Earth with one or more common characteristics. Regions are the basic units of geography. person who lives in a specific place. rift valley natural substance composed of solid mineral matter. seafloor spreading salty water from an ocean or sea. seismic having to do with earthquakes. spectacular to strain or put pressure on. subduct to pull downward or beneath something.

subduction zone area where one tectonic plate slides under another. summit highest point of a mountain. tectonic plate Noun massive slab of solid rock made up of Earth's lithosphere (crust and upper mantle). Also called lithospheric plate. threaten to scare or be a source of danger. transform boundary Noun site of tectonic plates sliding next to each other in opposite directions. Also called a transform fault. trench long, deep depression, either natural or man-made. triple junction region where the boundaries of three tectonic plates meet and interact. urban area chain of volcanoes formed at a subduction zone. volcanic ash volcanic gas Noun gas such as water vapor or carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere by a volcano. volcano Noun an opening in the Earth's crust, through which lava, ash, and gases erupt, and also the cone built by eruptions. The Depths Below - Ring of Fire | Ocean Today The Depths Below - Ring of Fire The Depths Below - Ring of Fire Transcript NARRATOR: There’s another world beneath the ocean’s surface. Come join us, as we explore The Depths Below. Orange and red flashes in the pitch black.

Lava oozes from the cracks, and rolls across the ocean floor. Earthquakes rumble and roar as tectonic plates grate against each other. We’re at the rim of the Pacific Basin. Because it is one of the most geologically active places on Earth, scientists have nicknamed the area, “The Ring of Fire.” The movement of tectonic plates has created a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches and chains of volcanoes stretching for twenty-five thousand miles. The Ring of Fire is home to hundreds of volcanoes. But most remain hidden far below the water’s surface. In fact, seventy-five percent of all volcanic activity on the Earth happens in the ocean. But the effects of all this activity aren’t felt only in the Pacific Basin. Earth’s ocean and geology are global, interconnected systems that can affect us all. Tsunamis can be generated by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides. And, as we have seen, their impacts can be devastating. Undersea volcanoes produce chemicals and heat that affect the ocean environment. We need to better understand these “natural” inputs as we increasingly introduce our own with manmade pollutants.

We’ve only recently begun to explore the hundreds of volcanoes rising from the ocean floor that make up the Ring of Fire. Over the last few decades, several expeditions to the western Pacific basin have been conducted. Using the latest mapping and robotic instruments, researchers have learned more about the geologic activity at these sites and the marine life that thrives on hydrothermal vent systems. But learning new things often leads to more questions, which means there’s still a whole lot more left for us to discover. So join us – as we continue to explore The Depths Below. Related Videos Pacific Ring of Fire - Crystalinks Pacific Ring of Fire The Ring of Fire is a major area in the basin of the Pacific Ocean where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. In a 40,000 km (25,000 mi) horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements. It has 452 volcanoes (more than 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes). The Ring of Fire is sometimes called the circum-Pacific belt.

About 90% of the world's earthquakes and 81% of the world's largest earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire. The next most seismically active region (5�6% of earthquakes and 17% of the world's largest earthquakes) is the Alpide belt, which extends from Java to the northern Atlantic Ocean via the Himalayas and southern Europe. All but three of the world's 25 largest volcanic eruptions of the last 11,700 years occurred at volcanoes in the Ring of Fire.[6] The Ring of Fire is a direct result of plate tectonics: the movement and collisions of lithospheric plates. The eastern section of the ring is the result of the Nazca Plate and the Cocos Plate being subducted beneath the westward-moving South American Plate. The Cocos Plate is being subducted beneath the Caribbean Plate, in Central America. A portion of the Pacific Plate and the small Juan de Fuca Plate are being subducted beneath the North American Plate. Along the northern portion, the northwestward-moving Pacific plate is being subducted beneath the Aleutian Islands arc.

Farther west, the Pacific plate is being subducted along the Kamchatka Peninsula arcs on south past Japan. The southern portion is more complex, with a number of smaller tectonic plates in collision with the Pacific plate from the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Bougainville, Tonga, and New Zealand; this portion excludes Australia, since it lies in the center of its tectonic plate. Indonesia lies between the Ring of Fire along the northeastern islands adjacent to and including New Guinea and the Alpide belt along the south and west from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Flores, and Timor. The famous and very active San Andreas Fault zone of California is a transform fault which offsets a portion of the East Pacific Rise under southwestern United States and Mexico. The motion of the fault generates numerous small earthquakes, at multiple times a day, most of which are too small to be felt.

The active Queen Charlotte Fault on the west coast of the Haida Gwaii, British Columbia, has generated three large earthquakes during the 20th century: a magnitude 7 event in 1929; a magnitude 8.1 in 1949 (Canada's largest recorded earthquake); and a magnitude 7.4 in 1970. Read more In the News The 7km abyss deep under the ocean: Biggest fault on Earth found inside the deadly 'ring of fire' Daily Mail - November 28, 2016 It is a terrifying abyss, 7km deep. Now, geologists have for the first time seen and documented the Banda Detachment fault in eastern Indonesia - and worked out how it formed. It could lead to a breakthrough in tsunami prediction for the area, which is part of the Ring of Fire - an area around the Pacific Ocean basin known for earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. What is the Pacific "Ring of Fire"? - Universe Today Universe Today What is the Pacific “Ring of Fire”?

Article Updated: 26 May , 2016 by Matt Williams What if someone were to tell you that there’s a region in the world where roughly 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur. What if they were to tell you that this region is also home to over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes, and all but 3 of the world’s 25 largest eruptions in the last 11,700 years took place here. Chances are, you’d think twice about buying real-estate there. But strangely enough, hundreds of millions of people live in this area, and some of the most densely-packed cities in the world have been built atop its shaky faults. We are talking about the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically and volcanically active region that stretches from one side of the Pacific to the other. Definition: Also known as the circum-Pacific belt, the “Ring of Fire” is a 40,000 km (25,000 mile) horseshoe-shaped basin that is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and/or plate movements.

This ring accounts for 452 volcanoes (active and dormant), stretching from the southern tip of South America, up along the coast of North America, across the Bering Strait, down through Japan, and into New Zealand – with several active and dormant volcanoes in Antarctica closing the ring. Tectonic Activity: The Ring of Fire is the direct result of plate tectonics and the movement and collisions of lithospheric plates. These plates, which constitute the outer layer of the planet, are constantly in motion atop the mantle. Sometimes they collide, pull apart, or slide alongside each other; resulting in convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries, and transform boundaries. The Pacific Ring of Fire, a string of volcanic regions extending from the South Pacific to South America. Credit: Public Domain In the case of the former, subduction zones are often the result, where the heavier plate slips under the lighter plate – forming a deep trench. This subduction changes the dense mantle into buoyant magma, which rises through the crust to the Earth’s surface. Over millions of years, this rising magma creates a series of active volcanoes known as a volcanic arc. These ocean trenches and volcanic arcs run parallel to one another.

For instance, the Aleutian Islands in the U.S. state of Alaska run parallel to the Aleutian Trench. Both geographic features continue to form as the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the North American Plate. Meanwhile, the Andes Mountains of South America run parallel to the Peru-Chile Trench, created as the Nazca Plate subducts beneath the South American Plate. In the case of divergent boundaries, these are formed when tectonic plates pull apart, forming rift valleys on the seafloor. When this happens, magma wells up in the rift as the old crust pulls itself in opposite directions, where it is cooled by seawater to form new crust. This upward movement and eventual cooling of this magma has created high ridges on the ocean floor over millions of years. The East Pacific Rise is a site of major seafloor spreading in the Ring of Fire, located on the divergent boundary of the Pacific Plate and the Cocos Plate (west of Central America), the Nazca Plate (west of South America), and the Antarctic Plate. The largest known group of volcanoes on Earth is found underwater along the portion of the East Pacific Rise between the coasts of northern Chile and southern Peru.

The different type of tectonic plate boundaries. Credit: oceanexplorer.noaa.gov A transform boundary is formed when tectonic plates slide horizontally and parts get stuck at points of contact. Stress builds in these areas as the rest of the plates continue to move, which causes the rock to break or slip, suddenly lurching the plates forward and causing earthquakes. These areas of breakage or slippage are called faults, and the majority of Earth’s faults can be found along transform boundaries in the Ring of Fire. The San Andreas Fault, stretching along the central west coast of North America, is one of the most active faults on the Ring of Fire. It lies on the transform boundary between the North American Plate, which is moving south, and the Pacific Plate, which is moving north. Measuring about 1,287 kilometers (800 miles) long and 16 kilometers (10 miles) deep, the fault cuts through the western part of the U.S. state of California. Plate Boundaries: The eastern section of the Ring of Fire is the result of the Nazca Plate and the Cocos Plate being subducted beneath the westward moving South American Plate.

Meanwhile, the Cocos Plate is being subducted beneath the Caribbean Plate, in Central America. A portion of the Pacific Plate along with the small Juan de Fuca Plate are being subducted beneath the North American Plate. Along the northern portion, the northwestward-moving Pacific plate is being subducted beneath the Aleutian Islands arc. Farther west, the Pacific plate is being subducted along the Kamchatka Peninsula arcs on south past Japan. The Earth’s Tectonic Plates. Credit: msnucleus.org The southern portion is more complex, with a number of smaller tectonic plates in collision with the Pacific plate from the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Bougainville, Tonga, and New Zealand. This portion excludes Australia, since it lies in the center of its tectonic plate. Indonesia lies between the Ring of Fire along the northeastern islands adjacent to and including New Guinea and the Alpide belt along the south and west from Sumatra, Java, Bali, Flores, and Timor. The famous and very active San Andreas Fault zone of California is a transform fault which offsets a portion of the East Pacific Rise under southwestern United States and Mexico.

Volcanic Activity: Most of the active volcanoes on The Ring of Fire are found on its western edge, from the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia, through the islands of Japan and Southeast Asia, to New Zealand. Mount Ruapehu in New Zealand is one of the more active volcanoes in the Ring of Fire, with yearly minor eruptions, and major eruptions occurring about every 50 years. Krakatau, perhaps better known as Krakatoa, is an island volcano in Indonesia. Krakatoa erupts less often than Mount Ruapehu, but much more spectacularly. Beneath Krakatoa, the denser Australian Plate is being subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate. An infamous eruption in 1883 destroyed the entire island, sending volcanic gas, volcanic ash, and rocks as high as 80 kilometers (50 miles) in the air. A new island volcano, Anak Krakatau, has been forming with minor eruptions ever since. Mount Fuji, Japan, as seen from the ISS. Credit: NASA Mount Fuji, Japan’s tallest and most famous mountain, is an active volcano in the Ring of Fire.

Mount Fuji last erupted in 1707, but recent earthquake activity in eastern Japan may have put the volcano in a “critical state.” Mount Fuji sits at a “triple junction,” where three tectonic plates (the Amur Plate, Okhotsk Plate, and Philippine Plate) interact. The Ring of Fire’s eastern half also has a number of active volcanic areas, including the Aleutian Islands, the Cascade Mountains in the western U.S., the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, and the Andes Mountains. Mount St. Helens, in the U.S. state of Washington, is an active volcano in the Cascade Mountains. Below Mount St. Helens, both the Juan de Fuca and Pacific plates are being subducted beneath the North American Plate. Its historic 1980 eruption lasted 9 hours and covered 11 U.S. states with tons of volcanic ash. The eruption caused the deaths of 57 people, over a billion dollars in property damage, and reduced hundreds of square miles to wasteland. Popocatépetl is one of the most active and dangerous volcanoes in the Ring of Fire, with 15 recorded eruptions since 1519.

The volcano lies on the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, which is the result of the small Cocos Plate subducting beneath the North American Plate. Located close to the urban areas of Mexico City and Puebla, Popocatépetl poses a risk to the more than 20 million people that live close enough to be threatened by a destructive eruption. Map of the Earth showing the relation between fault lines (blue) and zones of volcanic activity (red). Credit: zmescience.com Earthquakes: Scientists have known for some time that the majority of the seismic activity occurs along plate boundaries. Hence why roughly 90% of the world’s earthquakes – which is estimated to be around 500,000 a year, one-fifth of which are detectable – occur around the Pacific Rim, where multiple plate boundaries exist. As a result, earthquakes are a regular occurrence in places like Japan, Indonesia and New Zealand in Asia and the South Pacific; Alaska, British Columbia, California and Mexico in North America; and El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru and Chile in Central and South America. Where fault lines run beneath the ocean, larger earthquakes in these regions also trigger tsunamis .

The most well-known tsumanis to take place in the Ring of Fire include the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. This was the most devastating tsunami of its kind in modern times, killing around 230,000 people and laying waste to communities throughout Indonesia, Thailand, and Southern Asia. In 2010, an earthquake triggered a tsunami which caused 4334 confirmed deaths and devastating several coastal towns in south-central Chile, including the port at Talcahuano. The earthquake also generated a blackout that affected 93 percent of the Chilean population. In 2011, an earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku led to a tsunami that struck Japan and led to 5,891 deaths, 6,152 injuries, and 2,584 people to be declared missing across twenty prefectures. The tsunami also caused meltdowns at three reactors in the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant complex. The Ring of Fire is a crucial region for many reasons. It serves as one of the main boundary regions for the tectonic plates of over half of the globe.

It also affects the lives of millions if not billions of people who live in these regions. For many of the people who live in the Pacific Ring of Fire, the reality of a volcanic eruption or earthquake is commonplace and a challenge they have come to deal with over time. At the same time, the volcanic activity has also provided many valuable resources, such as rich farmland and the possibility of tapping geothermal activity for heating and electricity. As always, nature gives with one hand and takes with the other! If you have enjoyed this article there are several others on Universe Today that you will find interesting. Here is one called 10 Interesting Facts About Volcanoes . There is also a great article about plate tectonics . You can also find some good resources online. There is a companion site for the PBS program Savage Earth that talks about the Ring of Fire. You can also check out the USGS site to see a detailed map of the Pacific Ring of Fire and more detailed information about plate tectonics. You can also listen to Astronomy Cast. Episode 141 talks about volcanoes.

Share this: I imagine you’re being facetious, but just in case you’re not, it’s actually one of the primary causes of Global Dimming (aka. cooling). UFOsMOTHER TonyTrenton with a comment like that you have to be either an American Republican a Texas Oilman or a Great Comedian i hope its the later… RUF NOAA Ocean Explorer: Submarine Ring of Fire 2002 Submarine Ring of Fire 2002 Explorer Ridge June 28 - July 11 and July 23 - August 5, 2002 Part I. Explorer Ridge, NE Pacific An interdisciplinary exploration team of U.S. and Canadian scientists used new seafloor mapping systems, an autonomous vehicle, and a remotely operated vehicle to investigate the birth of new ocean crust off the coast of western North America, part of the Pacific Submarine Ring of Fire. Volcanic ridges lying as close as 60 nautical miles of the northwest U.S. and Canada are part of the world-girdling Mid-Ocean Ridge system, a 60,000 km long series of seafloor spreading centers where new earth is born.

The Mid-Ocean Ridge is the beginning of a giant conveyor belt, whereby new ocean floor created at mid-ocean ridges are welded to giant moving plates that are ultimately recycled at island arcs and deep-ocean trenches. From June to August 2002, the exploration team on board the research vessel Thomas G. Thompson explored the Explorer Ridge, one of the elongate volcanoes of the mid-ocean ridge in the northeastern Pacific where the Pacific Ocean conveyor belt originates. Background information for this exploration can be found on the left side of the page. Regular updates are included below. Detailed logs and summaries of exploration activities are found on the right. Summary Log This exploration has come to a close. Please read the summary log. July 31 Discoveries of more vent chimneys, as well as "fossilized" tubeworms, buccionid whelks, and an unidentified purple blue bacterial mat have made this exploration a fascinating experience. The Ring of Fire team has truly discovered a wealth of life in this submarine volcanic wonderland. July 29 The science team discovered more than 15 active chimneys, each differing in size, shape, compostion, and inhabitating organisms .

They mapped and conducted biological sampling from these various environments. July 26 The first ROPOS dive at Explorer Ridge resulted in the discovery of an active hydrothermal chimney , but due to weather conditions, no further investigations could be made. After six months of development, a state-of-the-art digital camera, which was attached to ROPOS, captured striking images of the seafloor, revealing a world of vivid color. July 24 This leg is a continuation of another leg that took place between June 28-July 11. After an at sea transfer, some new scientists and equipment have boarded the ship, and are currently enroute to Explorer Ridge, including the remotely operated vehicle named ROPOS. With ROPOS, they will finally see the seafloor in the area where they collected survey data on the previous leg. Read an account by the Teacher at Sea, Kimberly Williams . Phase I Summary June 28 - July 11 In less than two weeks onsite, the Pacific Ring of Fire science party characterized the locations and approximated the extent of hydrothermal activity over Explorer Ridge, employing new surveying technologies, and establishing sites for the remotely operated vehicle ROPOS to explore during the second phase of this mission.

Read about the success of the new multibeam sonars and how they aided in mapping the Magic Mountain area. Watch an animation video that shows the deployment of ABE, and the different sonar surveys that were used to characterize the Magic Mountain site. (Quicktime, 2.1 Mb). July 8 How do you locate a hydrothermal plume in a vast ocean? The task sounds about as easy as finding a needle in a haystack. A variety of sophisticated sensors enable ABE to reveal clues , indicating hydrothermal activity along Explorer Ridge. On July 23rd the science team returned to follow the NEMO expedition . Watch a video of ABE surveying the seafloor. (Quicktime, 1.9 Mb) July 3 The new multibeam sonar mounted on ABE is completely operational, producing highly detailed bathymetry maps which reveal fracture systems, the ideal sites for hydrothermal activity. Other plumes were found along Explorer Ridge, which may point to a yet to be discovered vent site. Watch a 3D fly-through movie that shows the seafloor as mapped by the Imagenex sonar system on the ABE autonomous vehicle . (Quicktime, 952 Kb).

June 30 After completing two swaths of multibeam bathymetry over Explorer Ridge, the science team started to prepare for further exploration of the ridge. Four transponders were released to triangulate the AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) ABE, and the now repaired CTD will be deployed tomorrow. Watch a 3D fly-through movie showing the seafloor at Explorer Ridge . (Quicktime, 1 Mb). June 29 En route to Explorer Ridge, the scientists are taking care of last-minute details , while simultaneously getting used to the rolling motion of the ship. Once at Explorer Ridge, a CTD cast will be conducted, which may offer a first look at the hydrothermal systems in this area. The Ring of Fire Missions Click images or links below for more information on all Ring of Fire missions.

In the Beginning: Compelling Evidence for Creation and the Flood - The Origin of Ocean Trenches, Earthquakes, and the Ring of Fire The Origin of Ocean Trenches, Earthquakes, and the Ring of Fire [ The Fountains of the Great Deep > The Origin of Ocean Trenches, Earthquakes, and the Ring of Fire ] The Origin of Ocean Trenches, Earthquakes, and the Ring of Fire SUMMARY: Ocean trenches, some thousands of miles long and several miles deep, lie on the floor of the western Pacific, directly opposite the center of the Atlantic. The plate tectonic theory claims that plates, drifting on the earth’s surface, dive into the earth and form trenches. Seventeen reasons will be given why this idea is incorrect. The flood began with a rupture of the earth’s crust that encircled the globe in about 2 hours. For months, escaping subterranean water eroded the rupture to an average width of about 1,400 miles all along its 46,000 mile path—even on earth’s Pacific side. The hydroplates were no longer prevented from moving at least a few hundred miles toward the Pacific side of the earth.

Near the end of the flood, a “tipping point” was reached. So much mass had been removed from the Atlantic side of the earth that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge started to buckle up. Hydroplates began sliding on the remaining subterranean water, away from the rising Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This steadily removed gigantic amounts of weight from what would become the Atlantic floor, so the ridge and chamber floor rose even faster. Material within the earth then had to shift toward the Atlantic side. Near the center of the earth, where pressures are greatest and movement was most constricted, that shifting produced so much frictional heat that the inner earth melted and shrunk. (Magma is much more compressible than solid rock, 2 as explained on pages 154-155.) Thus the center of the earth began its transformation into what is today’s inner and outer core. Further shrinkage in the inner earth caused the Pacific crust, surrounded by what is now call the Ring of Fire, to begin sinking. Portions of the Pacific crust directly opposite the center of the rising Atlantic floor buckled inward, forming trenches.

In less than a day, the Pacific plate subsided at least 60 miles—enough to remove any obstacle to the hydroplates sliding away from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Drifting vs. Shifting The distinction between drifting and shifting is subtle but important. A box drifts on the sea, but a box shifts on a ship’s deck. Drifting is a continuing movement on or in a fluid, often for a great distance, while shifting is usually a slight, but limited, lateral movement on or in a solid. Drifting is caused by a steady, unyielding, outside force, while shifting is typically caused by gravity and a change in equilibrium. Drifting requires a continuing energy source, but shifting requires a disturbance. The plate tectonic theory says that crustal plates drift very slowly for hundreds of millions of years. The hydroplate theory says crustal plates drifted very rapidly for hours on a layer of escaping, high-pressure water near the end of the flood. This drifting produced imbalances. Since then, these and other imbalances caused by the flood sporadically shift continents and everything below. Weeks later, the oceanic ridge that began rising in the Atlantic had extended to the Pacific side of earth.

After many years, gravity squeezed the earth back toward its nearly spherical shape. Mass imbalances remain, so earthquakes now occur and continents sporadically shift—not drift—toward the trench region of the Pacific. Imagine standing at the edge of a vast depression that reminds you of the Grand Canyon, but this “canyon” is several times deeper. Its smoother walls are almost as steep as the Grand Canyon’s, but the view across the 60-mile-wide depression is never obstructed by intermediate land forms. This “canyon,” thousands of miles longer than the Grand Canyon, does not have sharp turns. Such depressions, called ocean trenches, would be the leading natural wonders of the world if water did not hide them. (Average ocean depth is 2.5 miles; the deepest trench reaches 6.86 miles below sea level.) Sixteen trenches are concentrated on the western Pacific floor. Why are so many trenches in the western Pacific? Surprisingly, trenches contain shallow-water fossils. 3 Materials [like fossils] which are usually supposed to be deposited only in shallow water have actually been found on the floor of some of the deep trenches.

4 Why are such unlikely fossils in a remote part of the ocean—a thousand times deeper than one would expect? Today, most of the earth’s crust is vertically balanced, like blocks floating in a pan of water. Less dense blocks “float” higher up, while denser blocks sink deeper. This is called isostatic equilibrium. However, ocean trenches are earth’s most glaring departure from this equilibrium. This imbalance may be an important clue for how trenches formed. As various authorities have written: ... trenches are characterized by large negative gravity anomalies. That is, there appears to be a mass deficiency beneath the trenches, and thus something must be holding the trenches down or else they would rise in order to restore isostatic equilibrium. 5 The most striking phenomenon associated with the trenches is a deficiency in gravity ... Measurements of gravity near trenches show pronounced departures from the expected values. These gravity anomalies are among the largest found on earth. It is clear that isostatic equilibrium does not exist near the trenches. The trench-producing forces must be acting ... to pull the crust under the trenches downward! 6 In other words, something has pulled, not pushed, trenches down.

Today, the downward pull of gravity in and above trenches is less than expected even after adjusting for the trench’s shape and depth, so less mass exists under trenches than one would expect. It is as if something deep inside the earth “sucked” downward the material directly below trenches. This would reduce the mass below trenches. (If you want to show a slight weight loss, weigh yourself while on a ship sailing over a trench.) A useful illustration is to think of a slight vacuum, or reduced mass, under trenches—much like a partial vacuum, which “nature abhors.” That is, nature always tries to move material to fill a vacuum. If one waited long enough, material inside the earth would flow in under trenches to fill this “partial vacuum.” Today, crustal plates move an inch or so each year toward trenches, so this “partial vacuum” is slowly being filled in modern times. Later, we will see where the missing mass under trenches went and what created the “partial vacuum.” Clearly, this “filling in” has not been going on for millions of years. Figure 83: Spin. A spinning object, such as a figure skater or the earth, spins faster if it becomes more compact about its spin axis.

This skater starts a spin with outstretched arms. Then, as she pulls her arms in near her spin axis, she spins so fast she becomes a blur. Gravity tries to make the earth as compact and round as possible. Earthquakes cause the earth to become more compact and spin slightly faster. 8 Therefore, the further back in time we look, the less compact we should find the earth, at least until we arrive at the time the out-of-balance condition arose. Because earthquakes can occur deep within the earth, the out-of-balance condition affected the entire earth and, as you will see, produced trenches and the Ring of Fire. A technique called seismic tomography has shown that rock in the upper mantle is denser under continents than under oceans. The technique uses earthquake waves to “see” inside the earth, just as a CAT scan uses x-rays from many angles to “see” inside your body. Each earthquake radiates waves through the earth. Knowing the precise time of an earthquake and the times the waves reach seismometers around the world, scientists can calculate each wave’s average velocity along a specific path. After many earthquakes and knowing the velocities along thousands of different paths, a computer can estimate the wave speed at every point inside the earth.

Higher speeds imply colder and/or denser rock. Earthquake waves travel faster under continents. Some increases in speed are too great to be caused entirely by colder temperatures. 7 Earthquakes. The major goal of earthquake research is to predict earthquakes. Normally, the best way to predict something is to understand how it works. Because, earthquakes are poorly understood, much effort is spent studying events that sometimes seem to precede earthquakes—earthquakes precursors, such as strange animal behaviors, abrupt changes in water levels in wells, swelling of the ground, and sudden irregularities in local geyser eruptions. Plate tectonic theory claims that earthquakes occur when plates rub against each other, temporarily lock, and then jerk loose. If so, why are some powerful earthquakes far from plate boundaries? 9 Why do many earthquakes occur when water is forced into the ground? 10 Following the 2004 Sumatran earthquake and tsunami that killed 230,000 people, why was there a permanent drop in the pull of gravity below the epicenter? According to plate tectonics, the mass should not have changed. This was measured very precisely by the GRACE satellite system.

11 A fault is a fracture in the earth’s crust along which movement has occurred. During most earthquakes, opposite sides of a preexisting fault “unlock” and suddenly slip. If the side of a fault nearest a distant seismometer moves toward the seismometer, a compression wave will be detected first. If that side moves away from the seismometer, a tension wave will be detected first. By examining the first wave to reach many seismometers, one can deduce the orientation of the fault plane and whether the earthquake was triggered by compression or tension. Earthquakes near a trench are almost always due to horizontal tension perpendicular to the trench axis—not compression as predicted by plate tectonics. 12 Measurements also show that microearthquakes on the ocean floor tend to occur at low tide. 13 But some earthquakes are “slow”—very slow. Every year or so, slow-slip occurs along some faults, moving the ground horizontally inches per week, rather than feet per second, as in a normal earthquake. Slow-slip is often accompanied by tremors, detectable only on seismometers. Sometimes this slow-slip mysteriously reverses direction!

16 Shallow earthquakes sometimes displace the ground horizontally along a fault, as occurred along the San Andreas Fault during the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Western California slid northward relative to the rest of North America. The San Andreas Fault has several prominent bends, so just as two interlocking pieces of a jigsaw puzzle cannot slip very far relative to each other, neither can both sides of the curved San Andreas Fault. Furthermore, if slippage has occurred along the San Andreas Fault for eons, friction should have greatly heated the sliding surfaces. Drilling into the fault has not detected that heat. 17 Evidently, little movement has occurred over millions of years or the walls of the fault were lubricated. Almost 90% of all earthquake energy is released under trenches. Earthquakes often occur near planes, called Benioff zones, that slope downward from trenches at 30ï¿½–60ï¿½ angles below the horizontal. These earthquake zones extend to depths of about 410 miles. A prominent feature on all ocean floors is the Mid-Oceanic Ridge. One characteristic of the ridge figures prominently in two competing theories for how trenches formed.

As explained in the preceding chapter, the ridge is cracked in a strange pattern. Some cracks are nearly perpendicular to the ridge axis, while other cracks are parallel to it. Their shapes and orientation are best explained by the stretching of the ridge. 24 What would stretch the ridge in two perpendicular directions? These cracks are easily seen along the Mid-Oceanic Ridge in Figure 43 on page 114 . More than 40,000 submarine volcanoes, called seamounts, litter the Pacific floor. Some rise higher above the seafloor than Mount Everest rises above sea level. Strangely, the Atlantic has few seamounts. If, as the plate tectonic theory claims, one plate dives (subducts) beneath another, why aren’t seamounts and soft sediments scraped off the top of the descending plate? About 2,000 flat-topped seamounts, called tablemounts, have tops that are 3,000–6,000 feet below sea level. Evidently, as these volcanoes tried to grow above sea level, wave action planed off their tops.

Either sea level was once 3,000–6,000 feet lower, or ocean floors were 3,000–6,000 feet higher, or some combination of both. Each possibility raises new and difficult questions. More than half of the world’s active and dormant land volcanoes and 90% of the world’s earthquakes occur along the Ring of Fire, shown in the inset map on page 154 . Obviously, that 25,000-mile-long, horseshoe-shaped path is a region that was violently disturbed in the past. From deep in the mantle, enormous amounts of melted basalt, called flood basalts, rapidly 25 spilled upward onto the earth’s crust—especially onto the Pacific Basin. Above sea level, some “spills” that we can examine today are large enough to cover the eastern United States to the height of the Appalachian Mountains—from Atlanta to New York City and from the Appalachian Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. More than a dozen of these convulsions have occurred at different places on land, dwarfing in volume the total magma in all volcanic cones. The volume of all “spills” below sea level may be a hundred times greater.

Rocks are composed of various minerals, some containing molecules of water. These minerals would not feel wet to the touch, because each water molecule is locked separately in a mineral’s crystalline structure, and the water occupies only about one-thousandth of the rock’s volume. Nevertheless, the inner earth is so large that it probably contains several oceans’ worth of water. Some heating process may have released that water, allowing it to collect in larger pockets. That would account for pooled water (with a total volume equal to the water in the Arctic Ocean) that is disbursed 500–750 miles under eastern Asia and part of western North America. 26

Question: The ‘Ring of Fire’ is in which ocean?
Answer: Pacific Ocean