The Aleutian Trench

How Was it Formed?

The Aleutian Trench formed as the Pacific Plate converged with the North American Plate forcing the Pacific's oceanic plate into the mantle because the Pacific Plate is denser than the North American Plate. The Aleutian Trench and other Trenches formed a subduction zone by converging with other plate tectonics.

Where is it Located?

Fun Facts

The Aleutian Trench forms the border between the North American Plate to the North and Pacific plate on the south side of the Aleutian Islands which is found in Alaska.

• The largest volcanic event was the eruption of Mount Katmai on the Alaskan Peninsula in 1912.
• Both ends of the trench end at a triple junction where 3 crustal plates meet.
• Redoubt Volcano, Mt. Spurr and Katmai Volcano are 3 volcanoes that are apart of this section of the Aleutian Arc.

Geological Features/Height and Depth

The Aleutian Trench is 2,200 miles long. It is also 50 and 100 miles wide and reaches depths of 25,000 ft. in some places. A lot of volcanoes form on this trench because The Pacific Plate is moving beneath the North American plate. There are tons of volcanoes that form on this trench and other trenches as well, creating the ring of fire. Some of these volcanoes are formed on the Aleutian Islands.

Does it affect anything Around it? How?

The boundary of the Aleutian Trench can also produce powerful earthquakes. In 1964, one of those powerful earthquakes destroyed part of Anchorage, Alaska. The contact that created this trench is between the oceanic crust and the continental crust. Since these boundaries are converging that must mean that divergent boundaries could be occurring.

Living Organisms?

The Aleutians are habitats for many endangered species. Aleutian passes are critical travel corridors for most of the world’s gray whales and northern fur seals. Here, they have feeding and breeding grounds. There are many other species such as:

*sea lions

*sea otters

*short-tailed albatross

*humpback whales

*fish

Bibliography

http://www.kids-fun-science.com/aleutian-trench.html

http://www.kids-fun-science.com/aleutian-trench.html

http://google.com

http://oceana.org/en/explore/marine-places/aleutian-trench

The Aleutian Trench

By; Delicia A. McKalpain