Ring of fire region

Why in news?

• Indonesian volcano Mount Ili Lewotolok erupts.

About the volcano:

• Mount Ile Lewotolok or Lewotolo  is a stratovolcano located in the north-central part of the island of Lembata, Indonesia.
• Indonesia is home to many active volcanoes, due to its position on the “Ring of Fire”.
• The volcanoes in Indonesia are among the most active of the Pacific Ring of Fire.
• They are formed due to subduction zones of three main active tectonic plates, namely the Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate, and Indo-Australian Plate

Ring of fire region:

• The ring of fire region in the Circum-Pacific Belt, is an area along the Pacific Ocean characterised by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
• In a large 40,000 km horseshoe shape, it is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic belts and plate movements.
• It has 452 volcanoes (more than 75% of the world's active and dormant volcanoes) and accounts for about 90 per cent of its earthquakes.
• The Ring of Fire is a direct result of plate tectonics:
  • The movement and collisions of lithospheric plates, especially subduction in the northern portion.
  • The western portion is more complex, with a number of smaller tectonic plates in collision with the Pacific Plate from the Mariana Islands, the Philippines, Bougainville, Tonga, and New Zealand.

PRELIMS QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Plate tectonics:
1.Sea floor spreading is an evidence for tectonic plate movements.
2.Oceanic trenches are a feature of convergent plate boundaries.
Which among the above statements is/are correct?
(a)1 only 
(b)2 only 
(c)Both 1 and 2
(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to prelims question