Ridge subduction sparked reorganization of the Pacific plate‐mantle system 60–50 million years ago

• Published in: Geophysical research letters Vol. 42; no. 6; pp. 1732 - 1740
• Main Authors: Seton, Maria, Flament, Nicolas, Whittaker, Joanne, Müller, R. Dietmar, Gurnis, Michael, Bower, Dan J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington John Wiley & Sons, Inc 28.03.2015
• Subjects: Basins; Detachment; geodynamics; Geology; Geophysics; Hot spots (geology); Izanagi plate; Magma; Mantle; Marine; Modelling; Movement; Ocean basins; Ocean models; Oceanic crust; plate reorganization; Plate tectonics; Plates (structural members); Plates (tectonics); Recording; ridge subduction; Ridges; Slabs; Subduction; Subduction (geology); Thermal structure; Tomography; Pacific Plate; I, Pacific

A reorganization centered on the Pacific plate occurred ~53–47 million years ago. A “top‐down” plate tectonic mechanism, complete subduction of the Izanagi plate, as opposed to a “bottom‐up” mantle flow mechanism, has been proposed as the main driver. Verification based on marine geophysical observa...