[Closed] Earthquakes

Most earthquakes are a result of tectonic plate or fault movement. Basically earth is a jerry-built collection of plates floating on the mantle that move relative to each other. Earthquakes are basically the result of the plates moving - they tend to built strain and give suddenly which creates the earthquake.

IIRC the moon is a single, very thick crust so you don't get tectonic earthquakes as it is basically a static, thick crust. I think you do get moonquakes as a result of asteroid strikes and similar, but not tectonic ones as we know it.

I was going to say that any other planet that consists of plates floating on a liquid core would surely result in earthquakes but not sure what other planets in the solar system have the same make-up. But surely, there are other planets elsewhere that have this kind of set-up.

The argument is that no other planet can have earthquakes becuase there is only one planet called earth. I say its to do with the surface not the name of the planet.

hmmm, you mean like a Uranusquake ?

but the name of the surface comes from the name of our planet no?

just to throw a spanner in the works...why is it a mud-slide not an earth-slide?

The internet tells me that Earth is the only planet in our solar system with currently active tectonic activity.

It's to do with having a floating solid crust over a mantle that's kept fluid. Mercury and Venus are subject to lots of tidal flexing from the Sun, the jovian moons from Jupiter etc. I think these worlds are volcanically active so I imagine you get quakes and the crust flexes and shifts around. Mars is supposedly not active but how is the methane in the atmos' being renewed? No-one has yet explained to me if Earth's activity is due to solar/lunar tidal flexing or something else (what?)

[i]but the name of the surface comes from the name of our planet no?[/i]

So is the surface of Mars known as 'mars' then?

Is the earth cooling over time and therefore the flow of the mantle is due to the temperature gradient between the cool crust and the hot centre?

(this is a total guess)

Google 'mid ocean ridge spreading' and 'subduction zones' for reasons why tectonic plates are moving

So is the surface of Mars known as 'mars' then?

ooooh, thought someone would bite sooner than that 😉

Well I guess the mantle is cooling and contracting through eruptions unless gravitational flexing from the Moon or Sun is creating enough internal friction to stabilise the in/out rate of heat (at least until the Moon falls into the Earth).

As for what makes the plates push each other? Currents in the mantle I guess, caused by the core's rotation maybe.

Heck there must be a proper geologist on here?

AndyPaice - Member

Google 'mid ocean ridge spreading' and 'subduction zones' for reasons why tectonic plates are moving

Further proof that in 9 years I have completely forgotten most of my degree!! 😯

...Earth's activity is due to solar/lunar tidal flexing

This plays a large part (mainly influenced by the Moon) so...

bingo!

bananaworld - Member

...Earth's activity is due to solar/lunar tidal flexing

This plays a large part (mainly influenced by the Moon) so...

bingo!

Isn't that theory currently out of favour/disproved?

How should I know??? I'm a bike mechanic with a degree in horticulture: if I'd know you wanted actual [i]facts[/i] I might have kept me big mouth shut. 😉

Peer-reviewed STW, whatever next.

ctznsmith - Premier Member
The internet tells me that Earth is the only planet in our solar system with currently active tectonic activity.

Well if it says so on the internet it must be right then 😉

The Internet doesn't mention moons, though. There are a number of moons around the major planets with significant surface activity that would be the equivalent to an 'earthquake', either through volcanic or tidal forces. I'm no seismologist or astronomer, but I've seen plenty of photos of volcanic plumes on some of the outer moons, and you'd almost certainly have a seismic event associated with it. You can call it a moonquake, which would be appropriate. Who the hell knows what happens on Venus.

Its convection currents caused by the earth's super hot and dense core that causes tectonic movement on earth. There is some effect from the lunar pull, but its pretty minor and doesn't cause much effect by itself. i.e. its unlikely to set off earthquakes.