In plate tectonics, a transform boundary (also known as transform fault boundary, transform plate boundary, transform plate margin, strike-slip boundary, sliding boundary, transverse boundary, or conservative plate boundary) is said to occur when tectonic plates slide and grind against each other along a transform fault. The relative motion of such plates is horizontal in either sinistral or dextral direction. Many transform boundaries are locked in tension before suddenly releasing, and causing earthquakes. The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. ... The tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. ... A transform fault is a geological fault that is a special case of strike-slip faulting which terminates abruptly, at both ends, at a major transverse geological feature. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... In astronomy, geography, geometry and related sciences and contexts, a plane is said to be horizontal at a given point if it is locally perpendicular to the gradient of the gravity field, i. ... A sinistral is a horizontal movement of blocks either side of a geological fault. ... A dextral is a horizontal movement of blocks either side of a geological fault. ...

Most transform boundaries are found on the ocean floor, where they often offset active spreading ridges to form a zigzag plate boundary. However, the most famous transform boundaries are found on land. The most well known transform boundary in the world is the San Andreas fault. Scientists predict that in about ten million years, Los Angeles and San Francisco will be side by side.^[1] Age of oceanic crust. ... View of the San Andreas Fault on the Carrizo Plain in central California, 35°07N, 119°39W The San Andreas Fault is a geological fault that runs a length of roughly 800 miles (1300 kilometres) through western and southern California in the United States. ...

Transform boundaries

The Southern Alps rise dramatically beside the Alpine Fault on New Zealand's West Coast. About 500 kilometres (300 mi) long; northwest at top.

• California's San Andreas Fault
• 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

Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (5342x1746, 1438 KB) [edit] Summary Description from [2]: The Alpine fault runs parallel to, and just inland of, much of the west coast of New Zealands South Island. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (5342x1746, 1438 KB) [edit] Summary Description from [2]: The Alpine fault runs parallel to, and just inland of, much of the west coast of New Zealands South Island. ... The Southern Alps is a mountain range which runs along the western side of the South Island of New Zealand. ... The Alpine Fault is clearly visible from space, running along the western edge of the Southern Alps from the southwestern coast towards the northeastern corner of the South Island. ... The West Coast is one of the administrative regions of New Zealand, located on the west coast of the South Island, and is one of the more remote and most sparsely populated areas of the country. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... View of the San Andreas Fault on the Carrizo Plain in central California, 35°07N, 119°39W The San Andreas Fault is a geological fault that runs a length of roughly 800 miles (1300 kilometres) through western and southern California in the United States. ... The Liquiñe-Ofqui Fault marked with red. ... The Indonesian island of Sumatra is located in a highly seismic area of the world. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ... The Alpine Fault is clearly visible from space, running along the western edge of the Southern Alps from the southwestern coast towards the northeastern corner of the South Island. ... The North Anatolian Fault (Turkish: Kuzey Anadolu Fayı) is one of the most energetic earthquake zones in the world. ...

See also

• List of tectonic plate interactions

See plate tectonics for a more complete discussion Tectonic plate interactions are of three different basic types: Divergent boundaries are areas where plates move away from each other, forming either mid-oceanic ridges or rift valleys. ...

References