Subduction zones are locations where one tectonic plate moves under another and is forced into the mantle. These zones are typically found at the boundaries of tectonic plates and are associated with volcanic activity, earthquakes, and the formation of mountain ranges. Here are some significant locations on Earth where subduction zones can be found:
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Cascadia Subduction Zone: Located off the coast of the Pacific Northwest of the United States and Canada, where the Juan de Fuca Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate.
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Nazaré Subduction Zone: Off the coast of Portugal, where the Eurasian Plate is subducting beneath the African Plate.
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Japan: The Japan Trench is where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate.
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Mariana Trench: Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it is the deepest part of the world's oceans formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Mariana Plate.
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Andes Mountains: In South America, the Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the South American Plate, creating a long chain of mountains.
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Philippine Trench: Located east of the Philippines, where the Philippine Sea Plate is subducting beneath the Eurasian Plate.
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Tonga Trench: Near the Tonga Islands, where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the Indo-Australian Plate.
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Aleutian Islands: Off the southern coast of Alaska, this subduction zone is where the North American Plate is moving over the Pacific Plate.
These subduction zones are critical to the tectonic processes and geological features of their respective regions.