It always made my eye twitch when Sumatra & Java were referred to in the media as being part of the Ring of Fire. While not really useful scientifically, it does seem like the term Ring of Fire is useful in the media/outreach, and I like your solution!
Thank you for the wonderful post. It is nicely done, and I love the figures. The Pacific Ring of Fire has always been in the news, which has inspired the media and public communicators to talk enthusiastically about earthquakes, volcanic activity and hazards in the region. However, the science of calling it a ring may not accurately represent what is happening. The ring of SE Asia is not closing, so it is more like a sack! Similarly, the Pacific Ring of Fire lacks volcanic activity in some regions, which breaks the ring structure. Therefore, I am unsure if calling rings will serve the purpose of science. It may serve the purpose of outreach; calling something a Ring of Fire rather than a zone of seismicity and volcanic activity is exciting.
It always made my eye twitch when Sumatra & Java were referred to in the media as being part of the Ring of Fire. While not really useful scientifically, it does seem like the term Ring of Fire is useful in the media/outreach, and I like your solution!
Thank you for the wonderful post. It is nicely done, and I love the figures. The Pacific Ring of Fire has always been in the news, which has inspired the media and public communicators to talk enthusiastically about earthquakes, volcanic activity and hazards in the region. However, the science of calling it a ring may not accurately represent what is happening. The ring of SE Asia is not closing, so it is more like a sack! Similarly, the Pacific Ring of Fire lacks volcanic activity in some regions, which breaks the ring structure. Therefore, I am unsure if calling rings will serve the purpose of science. It may serve the purpose of outreach; calling something a Ring of Fire rather than a zone of seismicity and volcanic activity is exciting.