Convergent Boundary
Aleutian Islands
The Aleutian Islands are a product of a convergent boundary. They were formed from the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the North American Plate. This convergent boundary is both an oceanic-continental boundary type and a oceanic-oceanic boundary type. the lighter color represents the continental crust and the darker blue represents the oceanic crust.
Elevation Profile
This elevation profile shows the view of the Aleutian Trench along the Aleutian Islands. This particular elevation profile is the elevation profile for a oceanic-continental boundary. The trench shown below is an example of a trench that experiences forced subduction due to the angle of the trench.
Age of the Seafloor
Unlike in the case with the divergent plate boundary, where seafloor is being created at a convergent boundary the seafloor is being destroyed. Since the seafloor is being destroyed the ages will decrease the further away from the convergent boundary indicating that the seafloor is gradually being destroyed. The younger aged seafloor indicates that the type of subduction is a forced subduction.
Volcano Types
Along the Aleutian Island chain there is a large number of volcanoes as a result of the subduction zone and the process of partial melting that drives the magma to the surface.
The common volcano type around the Aleutian Island Chain is the stratovolcano. Stratovolcanoes are also known as composite volcanoes that are built in layers by different eruptions over a course of many years. Additionally, stratovolcanoes occur in chains, as indicated above.
Earthquake Activity
Earthquakes along a convergent boundary are a result of the older plates diving down under the younger more buoyant plates, this causes the plates to slip and move. Within the past thirty days of taking the image, the Aleutian Islands has had a number of large earthquakes. The depth of the Earthquakes increase as you move away from the boundary which helps Geologists understand the direction of subduction.