We begin our journey in the lovely city of Seattle. It just so happens that Seattle is very nearby the subduction boundary of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Plate. It is called a subduction boundary, because the dense oceanic plate (Juan de Fuca) subducts under the less-dense continental plate (North American). When it does this, it creates a mountain chain and volcanoes inland, which in this case is the Cascade Mountain Range. Sometimes, this also creates earthquakes, which is a constant threat to the daily lives of the people of Seattle. For example, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck 36 miles from Seattle. Thankfully, no one was directly killed from the earthquake (400 injured), but imagine the damage that earthquake might have caused if it had struck in the heart of Seattle. Along with earthquakes, volcanic activity is also fairly common, as there are quite a few volcanoes in Washington, as well as the entire Pacific coast as a result of the subduction. Once in a while, it will create a huge mountain, like the one we're going to head to as our first stop. Mount Rainier (46°47'10.39"N 121°44'7.34"W) towers over its surroundings at over 14,410 ft! Remember to bring a rain jacket, and remember to arrive there at 9:00 AM. See you there! Below are some pictures that will help you understand the concept of subduction better, as well as a few others.
-KY
Amazing, no wonder your blog has so many views. This post on Mount St Helens and subduction boundaries had well chosen pictures that helped explain the concept.
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