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India's shrinking landmass: Plate tectonics vs. rising sea levels
India's landmass is slowly colliding with the Eurasian Plate causing the loss of territory, but the more immediate danger to the country is the rising sea level.
Portuguese
Germany
GeopoliticsIndo PacificSea Level RiseGeologyEarthquakesTectonic Plates
Gfz German Research Centre For Geosciences
Sabrina Metzger
- What is plate tectonics?
- Plate tectonics is the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates, which are large pieces of the Earth's crust and upper mantle. These plates float on the semi-molten asthenosphere and interact with each other, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain building.
- What is special about the Indian Plate?
- The Indian Plate is unique because it is colliding with the Eurasian Plate at a very high speed, approximately 20 centimeters per year. This rapid collision has created the Himalayas and continues to cause earthquakes.
- Is India losing territory and if so, why?
- The Indian Plate's movement into the Eurasian Plate has caused India to lose some territory over millions of years, but the rate of this movement is slowing down. The more immediate threat to India is rising sea levels.
- Is India in danger of disappearing due to plate tectonics?
- While India's movement into the Eurasian Plate could eventually result in significant loss of land, the rate of collision is slowing, and complete disappearance is not expected anytime soon. Rising sea levels pose a much greater, immediate danger.
- Who are the experts mentioned in the text and what are their findings?
- Sabrina Metzger, a geophysicist at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, has studied the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates. Her research suggests that the collision rate is slowing down, mitigating the long-term threat to India's landmass.