Knowra Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt is a volcanic mountain chain crossing central Mexico. It formed above the subduction of the Cocos and Rivera plates beneath the North American Plate.
Cocos Plate : An oceanic tectonic plate beneath the eastern Pacific, subducting beneath southern Mexico and Central America. Its subduction beneath Mexico supplies much of the belt’s volcanic activity.
Volcanic arc : A chain of volcanoes formed above a subduction zone. The belt is a continental volcanic arc, though its orientation and structure are unusual.
Pico de Orizaba : Mexico’s highest mountain, a dormant stratovolcano on the eastern edge of the volcanic belt. Its great height and eastern position show the belt’s reach across central Mexico.
Volcanic hazard : A potential source of harm caused by volcanic activity, including ashfall, lava, and fast-moving pyroclastic flows. Eruptions along the belt threaten settlements, infrastructure, and air travel.
Slab rollback : The retreat of a subducting tectonic plate’s hinge relative to the overriding plate. Researchers examine whether rollback helps explain the belt’s volcanic migration and changing geometry.
Rivera Plate : A small oceanic tectonic plate off western Mexico, moving beneath the North American Plate. Its subduction beneath western Mexico helps shape the belt’s western volcanic region.
Stratovolcano : A steep-sided volcano built from successive layers of lava, ash, and other erupted material. Several prominent belt volcanoes, including Popocatépetl, are stratovolcanoes.
Nevado de Toluca : A large stratovolcano west of Mexico City, known for its summit crater lakes. Its caldera and crater lakes make it a distinctive example of the belt’s volcanic landscape.
Mexico City : The capital of Mexico, located in the Valley of Mexico in the central highlands. Its large population lies near active volcanoes and can receive ashfall from eruptions.
Flat-slab subduction : Subduction in which an oceanic plate descends at a shallow angle beneath an overriding plate. Shallow subduction around Mexico may help explain gaps and variations in volcanism.
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