Nankai Trough facts for kids
The Nankai Trough (which means "Southern Sea Trough" in Japanese) is a very long, deep valley under the Pacific Ocean. It's located south of Japan's main islands, Honshu and Shikoku. This undersea valley stretches for about 900 kilometers (about 560 miles) and runs roughly parallel to the Japanese coast.
Contents
What is an Ocean Trough?
An ocean trough is like a huge ditch or canyon on the seafloor. These deep valleys are often found where two of Earth's massive plates meet. Imagine the Earth's surface is made of giant puzzle pieces called tectonic plates. When these plates slowly move and crash into each other, one plate can slide underneath the other. This process is called "subduction."
How the Nankai Trough Formed
The Nankai Trough is a special place where the Philippine Sea Plate is slowly sliding underneath the Eurasian Plate. This movement causes the seafloor to bend downwards, creating the deep trough. This area is very active because of these moving plates.
Why is the Nankai Trough Important?
The Nankai Trough is important because it's a "subduction zone." This means it's a place where a lot of geological activity happens. When plates move past each other, they can get stuck for a while. When they finally slip, it can cause powerful earthquakes. These earthquakes can sometimes lead to tsunamis, which are giant ocean waves. Scientists study the Nankai Trough to understand these natural events better and help protect people living near the coast of Japan.
Related pages
Images for kids
-
Location of the Nankai Trough
-
Undersea geographic features of the western Pacific
-
Depth of earthquake foci in cross section, modified from Obana, et al., 2002
-
Distribution of identified gas hydrate locations, in green and the location of selected subduction zones, red lines, modefied from Collet, 2002.
.jpg)
See also
In Spanish: Fosa de Nankai para niños
