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Topographic view of North America
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Topographic view of North America
This image of North America was generated with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). Active tectonics (structural deformation of the Earths crust) along and near the Pacific, North American plate boundary creates the great topographic relief seen along the Pacific coast. Earths crustal plates converge in southern Mexico and in the northwest United States, melting the crust and producing volcanic cones. Along the California coast, the plates are sliding laterally past each other, producing a pattern of slices within the San Andreas fault system. And, where the plates are diverging, the crust appears torn apart as one huge tear along the Gulf of California (northwest Mexico), and as the several fractures comprising the Basin and Range province (in and around Nevada). Across the Great Plains, erosional patterns dominate, with streams channels surrounding and penetrating the remnants of older smooth slopes east of the Rocky Mountains. This same erosion process is exposing the bedrock structural patterns of the Black Hills in South Dakota and the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas. Lateral erosion and sediment deposition by the Mississippi River has produced the flatlands of the lower Mississippi Valley and the Mississippi Delta. To the north, evidence of the glaciers of the last ice age is widely found, particularly east of the Canadian Rocky Mountains and around the Great Lakes
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Media ID 13063817
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America Canada Continent Earth Science Geography Geophysics Geoscience Land Feature Landform North America Relief Map Topography United States View From Space
EDITORS COMMENTS
This print showcases the remarkable topographic view of North America, revealing the intricate geological features that shape this vast continent. Generated with data from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), this image provides a unique perspective on the diverse landscapes and active tectonic processes at play. Along the Pacific coast, one can witness the awe-inspiring result of active tectonics along and near the Pacific-North American plate boundary. This dynamic interaction creates breathtaking topographic relief, characterized by towering mountain ranges and deep valleys. In southern Mexico and northwest United States, converging crustal plates give rise to volcanic cones as intense heat melts through Earth's crust. The California coast offers a fascinating sight where plates slide laterally past each other within the San Andreas fault system. This lateral movement produces a distinct pattern of slices in an otherwise seamless landscape. Meanwhile, diverging plates manifest as massive fractures along the Gulf of California in northwest Mexico and multiple fractures comprising Nevada's Basin and Range province. Erosional patterns dominate across the Great Plains, with streams carving channels amidst remnants of older smooth slopes east of Rocky Mountains. The same erosion process exposes bedrock structural patterns in iconic locations such as South Dakota's Black Hills and Arkansas' Ozark Mountains. Further northward, evidence of past glaciation becomes apparent around Canada's Rocky Mountains and throughout regions surrounding the Great Lakes. These glacial imprints serve as reminders of Earth's ever-changing history. This extraordinary print not only captures North America’s stunning beauty but also highlights its complex geological evolution over time.
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