SO461 Lab, Fall 2008

Marine Magnetics and Plate Rotations Lab

You should run the "Update_PC" batch file on the J drive before proceeding.

You will turn in the answers to the questions below, which will be graded pas/fail.  This material will be testable on both Test 2 and the Final exam.

The MICRODEM help file has detailed directions, and associated links. This is under Tutorials and labs, Plate Tectonics, Introduction to plate motions.  

Part 1.  

• What happens when you rotate about the north geographic pole?
• What happens when you rotate about the south geographic pole?
• What is the difference between rotating a positive and a negative angle?
• What happens when you rotate about a point on the equator?
• What happens when you rotate about a point within the continent?

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• What mathematical convention governs the rotation pole and direction?  (Note that there are two rotation poles possible; which do we use?)
• Where on the plate will there be the fastest and slowest motions?  Which rotation above helped you to see that?

Part 2.  

• What Euler pole works best to rotate Africa back to South America?  
• What Euler pole works best to rotate South America back to Africa?    
• What Euler pole works best to rotate North America back to Africa?
• Which pair has a faster angular rate of rotation?

Part 3.  

• What continent moves the fastest? 
• What is the difference between the two models?