A transform fault is a fault which runs along the boundary of a tectonic plate. In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere The relative motion of such plates is horizontal in either sinistral or dextral direction. In Physics, motion means a constant change in the location of a body In Astronomy, Geography, Geometry and related sciences and contexts a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is locally This article is about the geologic usage for human physiology usage see the articles Laterality. This article is about the geologic usage for human physiology usage see the articles Laterality. Typically, some vertical motion may also exist, but the principal vectors in a transform fault are oriented horizontally. Not all faults are transform faults, and not all plate boundaries are transform faults.

Most transform faults are found on the ocean floor, where they often offset active spreading ridges to form a zigzag plate boundary. Seafloor spreading occurs at Mid-ocean ridges where new Oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually moves away from the ridge However, the most well known transform faults are found on land.

Transform faults comprise one of the three types of plate boundaries in plate tectonics. Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere This term was proposed by J. Tuzo Wilson in 1965 and he particularly recognized the concept in the case of the transverse strike-slip faults along which mid-oceanic ridges are off-set. John Tuzo Wilson PhD, CC, OBE, DSc, FRS, FRSC, FRSE ( October 24, 1908 &ndash A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater Mountain range typically having a valley known as a Rift running along its axis formed by

Mechanics

The left- or right-lateral motion of one plate against another along transform faults can cause highly visible surface effects. Because of friction, the plates cannot simply glide past each other. Friction is the Force resisting the relative motion of two Surfaces in contact or a surface in contact with a fluid (e Rather, stress builds up in both plates and when it reaches a level that exceeds the strain threshold of rocks on either side of the fault the accumulated potential energy is released as strain. Stress is a measure of the average amount of Force exerted per unit Area. Potential energy can be thought of as Energy stored within a physical system Strain is both cumulative and instantaneous depending on the rheology of the rock; the ductile lower crust and mantle accumulates deformation gradually via shearing whereas the brittle upper crust reacts by fracture, or instantaneous stress release to cause motion along the fault. Rheology is the study of the flow of matter mainly liquids but also soft solids or solids under conditions in which they flow rather than deform elastically Study of geological shear is related to the study of Structural geology, Rock microstructure or rock texture and fault mechanics. The ductile surface of the fault can also release instantaneously when the strain rate is too great. The energy released by instantaneous strain release is the cause of earthquakes, a common phenomenon along transform boundaries. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer

Examples

The San Andreas fault in California is a major transform fault which runs between the Mendocino Triple Junction in the north and the northern end of the East Pacific Rise somewhere beneath the Imperial Valley in the south. The San Andreas Fault is a geologic Transform fault that runs a length of roughly 800 miles (1300 km through California in the United States. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The Mendocino Triple Junction is a geologic Triple junction where the San Andreas Fault meets the Mendocino Fault and the Cascadia subduction zone The East Pacific Rise is a Mid-oceanic ridge, a divergent tectonic plate boundary located along the floor of the Pacific Ocean. The Imperial Valley is a region of southeastern California ( USA) located in part between the Colorado River and the Salton Sea, which

The Southern Alps rise dramatically beside the Alpine Fault on New Zealand's West Coast. The Southern Alps is a Mountain range which runs along the western side of the South Island of New Zealand. The Alpine Fault is a Geological fault, known as a right-lateral strike-slip fault that runs almost the entire length of New Zealand 's South Island. New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Naming To New Zealanders the term 'The Coast' generally refers to the West Coast of the South Island, and 'Coasters' to those that live there About 500 kilometres (300 mi) long; northwest at top.

Other examples include:

• Chile's Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault
• Indonesia's Great Sumatran fault
• Middle East's Dead Sea Transform fault
• New Zealand's Alpine Fault
• Pakistan's Chaman Fault
• Turkey's North Anatolian Fault

See also

• Fault (geology)
• Fracture zone
• Plate tectonics
• Structural geology
• List of tectonic plate interactions

References

• International Tectonic Dictionary - AAPG Memoir 7, 1967
• The Encyclopedia of Structural Geology and Plate Tectonics - Ed. Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the The Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault is major Geological fault that runs a length of roughly 1000 km in a north-south direction and exhibits current seismicity. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. The Indonesian island of Sumatra is located in a highly seismic area of the world The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. The Dead Sea Transform (DST fault system, also sometimes referred to as the Dead Sea Rift, is a Geologic fault which extends through the Jordan River Valley New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island The Alpine Fault is a Geological fault, known as a right-lateral strike-slip fault that runs almost the entire length of New Zealand 's South Island. Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The North Anatolian Fault (NAF ( Kuzey Anadolu Fay Hattı is a major active right lateral-moving Geologic fault in northern Anatolia which runs along the Tectonic In Geology a fault, or fault line, is a planar rock fracture which shows evidence of relative movement A fracture zone is a linear oceanic feature--often hundreds even thousands of Kilometers long--resulting from the action of offset Mid-ocean ridge axis segments Plate tectonics (from Greek τέκτων tektōn "builder" or "mason" describes the large scale motions of Earth 's Lithosphere Structural geology is the study of the three dimensional distribution of rock bodies and their planar or folded surfaces and their internal fabrics See Plate tectonics for a more complete discussion Tectonic plate interactions are of three different basic types Divergent boundaries by Carl K. Seyfert, 1987