WIP Conworld, w/ Geology!

[Mysterious Mapmaker XXIII]

You know, Alaska, the state...

There are roughly 6 convection zones... just because that's how it works. They roughly point in the direction of the side of a dice. If you look at where there is large vertical, as in going from south to north pole, rifts, they are over where the convection zones are roughly. There are 2 that extend roughly the entire length of the planet and 2 (one sorta does but not quite) that only extend to roughly the equatorial zones.

I will assume that by "Alaska" you're referring to the western peninsula on "North America".

So, six convection zones? Is that a thing on our planet? Where are they, geographically speaking? And how do they affect the plate tectonics of our planet? This sounds like it might be important.

[Durakken]

I will assume that by "Alaska" you're referring to the western peninsula on "North America".

Is there another state named Alaska?

So, six convection zones? Is that a thing on our planet? Where are they, geographically speaking? And how do they affect the plate tectonics of our planet? This sounds like it might be important.

They exist on all geologically active spherical bodies because physics says so ^.^
The only way we can find them is by the rifts. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is formed by one of the convection zones. From there, it's just a matter dividng the sphere into 4 equidistant sections longitudinally and then in half along the equator with the Mid-Atlantic falling on one of the lines. The rough centers of the convection zones are where those 5 lines cross each other, The north pole, south pole, and then in each of the 4 cardinal directions with the ridge falling on one of those directions.

This is important mainly because that is where the crust is at its weakest and the most likely to break under stress.

[Pixie]

By convection zones, Durakken, I suppose you mean the areas where the movement of the mantle, due to convection, is upward.

The rules you describe to "find" those "centers" are absolutely new to me. Could you please point to any resource explaining it? I'm asking because, from what I know, and what I have just researched, it is far more complex than that..

[Durakken]

By convection zones, Durakken, I suppose you mean the areas where the movement of the mantle, due to convection, is upward.

The rules you describe to "find" those "centers" are absolutely new to me. Could you please point to any resource explaining it? I'm asking because, from what I know, and what I have just researched, it is far more complex than that..

That's just a quick and dirty way to figure it out. It's not hard science and how it appears is just how I remember seeing it somewhere on a model. It's obviously not a perfect representation, but you're generally going to minor convections zones and major ones and they're going to move around and even out or over taken by others, but from what I've seen from modeling is that there will almost always be one in those general vacinities. Sorry if you were looking for hard science (or soft science for that matter) on the matter. It's just what I can recall and it all seems to fit paternistically to me ^.^ I'm willing to say I'm way off base about this or that the breaks are fully due to stress. I don't think they are but could be.

[Chick]

By convection zones, Durakken, I suppose you mean the areas where the movement of the mantle, due to convection, is upward.

The rules you describe to "find" those "centers" are absolutely new to me. Could you please point to any resource explaining it? I'm asking because, from what I know, and what I have just researched, it is far more complex than that..

All I can say is that I have a PhD in Geology and I've never heard any of this either

[Mysterious Mapmaker XXIII]

...Okay.

@Pixie: In response to your earlier question, you're certainly right that this world's plate tectonics could be a lot more original and complex. I actually think I'll go for something like that if and when I ever do another conworld. As for this world's plate tectonics, I'd rather not spend any more time on them than I'd have to, so unless I learn of any particularly severe problems that can't just be explained away, I'm probably going to move on to my world's topography after this.