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Earthquake Image Glossary


 


Glossary of earthquake terms

 

map of tectonic plates

Tectonic
Tectonic refers to rock-deforming processes and resulting structures that occur over large sections of the lithosphere.

Tectonic plates
The tectonic plates are the large, thin, relatively rigid plates that move relative to one another on the outer surface of the Earth.

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U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey
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URL: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/image_glossary/
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Last modification: Tuesday, 21-May-2002 14:39
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