week 2 (Introduction to the layers of Nepal and Plate Tectonics)

 Nepal is located in a tectonic zone, and its position is a key in controlling geologic activity in the region. Let's have a deeper analysis of planet inner structure and plate tectonics in relation to Nepal:

1. Earth's Internal Structure: The Earth is composed of a range of layers: Crust: The thickest and outermost layer. It consists of two forms: oceanic (less dense, thinner) and continental (thick, less dense). Mantle: A thick, partially molten rock layer, consisting of lithosphere (non-fluid, including upper mantle and crust) and soft, moving asthenosphere Outer Core: Layer composed predominantly of iron and nickel in a liquid state. Inner Core: a molten innermost layer, composed predominantly of iron and nickel.

2. Plate Tectonics:

Plate tectonics is a theory explaining the motion of the lithosphere of the planet, and it is composed of several tectonic plates, whose motion, colliding, and interaction with each other cause geologic activity including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain creation. All plate motions develop through convection current in the mantle, and it is produced through heat.

3. Plate Boundaries in Perspective to Nepal

Nepal is situated at the boundary between two important tectonic plates:

Indian Plate (to the south and west of Nepal)

Eurasian Plate (to the north of Nepal

The interaction between these plates at convergent plate boundary has significant geologic implications:

Himalayan Mountain Building: Uplift of Mount Everest and Himalayan range happened when approximately 50 million years ago, Indian and Eurasian plates began colliding with one another.

Earthquake Activity: Frequent earthquakes in the region result in consequence of such a long-standing collision, in which a lot of pressure is built, and a high level of seismic activity in the region is produced. Major earthquakes in Nepal, including in 2015 Gorkha, have direct repercussions of such tectonic activity.

4. Earthquakes and Tectonics:

Earthquakes are most common at a convergent boundary (in the case of Nepal, for instance), where plates collide and, in most cases, develop a lot of tension. Consequently, when tension is relieved, an earthquake occurs. In Nepal, faults form when plates collide, and one of its largest fault systems is the Main Himalayan Thrust, and it generates seismic activity.

5. Volcanic Eruptivity:

Although Nepal is not a volcanic region, areas adjacent to plate borders—most specifically, divergent borders and hotspots—experience volcanic activity. For example, the zone surrounding the Pacific Ocean, the Ring of Fire, experiences many volcanic eruptions via oceanic and continental plate motion. Volcanic islands in Hawaii have a hotspot origin, and Indonesia and Japan have volcanic eruptions via tectonic plate motion.

6. Importance of plate boundary information for prediction of hazards: While we can't ever know for certain when a significant earthquake will occur, plate tectonics enables geologists to make educated guesses about the probability of geologic hazards. In Nepal's case: Seismic Risk: It is a high-risk region for earthquakes with tectonic plate collisions. Early Warning Systems: As yet, it is not yet possible to accurately predict when and where an earthquake will strike, but early warning systems can produce warnings when a strong quake is impending, in observation of seismic activity. 

7. Preparedness and Mitigation: Knowing where plate boundaries occur is significant in: Building resilience to earthquakes (e.g., creating structures that can resist earthquakes). Evacuation planning and emergency response for minimizing loss and injuries Seismic hazard mapping identifies regions most susceptible, guiding infrastructure development and land-use planning.

 Conclusion: 

The study of plate tectonic and inner Earth structure is important in understanding about the natural hazards faced by countries like Nepal. It is not a simple achievement to precisely predict when earthquakes will strike, but having an awareness about tectonic processes involved aids in knowing about the chance and occurrences of such events, and communities can make preparation and mitigate loss in case of future events of such kind.

my  chosen country tectonic plate search link (https://www.usgs.gov/search?keywords=nepal) 

source: (https://www.geologyin.com/2015/04/what-caused-nepal-earthquake.html)