island arc

island arc

Long, curved chain of oceanic islands associated with intense volcanic and seismic activity and mountain-building processes. Examples include the Aleutian-Alaska Arc and the Kuril-Kamchatka Arc. Most island arcs consist of two parallel rows of islands. The inner row is a string of volcanoes, and the outer row is made up of nonvolcanic islands. In the case of single arcs, many of the islands are volcanically active. An island arc typically has a landmass or a partially enclosed, unusually shallow sea on its concave side. Along the convex side there usually exists a long, narrow deep-sea trench.

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island arc [′ī·lənd ¦ärk]

(geography)

A group of volcanic islands, usually situated in a curving arch-like pattern that is convex toward the open ocean, having a deep trench or trough on the convex side and usually enclosing a deep basin on the concave side; formed by volcanic activity associated with oceanic plate subduction at convergent plate margins. Also known as volcanic arc.