38 Plate Boundary Evolution and Lithospheric Dynamics of Western North America (Posters)
We invite presentations on Cenozoic tectonics, volcanism, sedimentation, and geohazards offshore and along the margin of western North America. Example topics include crustal structure, mantle processes, triple-junction migration, paleomagnetism, active faulting, marine stratigraphy, and seismicity.
Friday, 24 April 2026
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
LMH, 5th Floor Chapel
Why Plates Move – Subduction Zones
Paper number: 38-8
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Authors
Abstract
A previously unrecognized existing physical process has been discovered that provides explanation for the forces that drive the movement of the planet’s major “non-subducting” plates. That process, named the Plate Driven Asthenospheric Flow (or PDAF) plate driving force in combination with the existing slab-pull and ridge-push plate driving forces explain how and why Earth’s tectonic plates move. The name given to the combined plate driving forces movement model is the Gravity Driven Plate Movement (or GDPM) hypothetical model. The GDPM model describes the multiple plate movement processes or forces that work together to drive Earth’s ongoing cyclic plate movement.
The main concepts presented include (1) plate movement is driven either directly or indirectly by gravity driven plate edge sinking, (2) plate movement drives spreading ridges, (3) sinking plate edges “directly” drive the movement of subducting plates, and (4) sinking plate edges “indirectly” drive the movement of non-subducting plates. The forces recognized as driving plate movement are based on known basic physics and earth science processes, including the recognition that sinking plate edges (i.e., subduction) must be continually displacing the asthenosphere and that the asthenosphere must continually flow horizontally (i.e., PDAF) in response to continuing subduction.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 3
doi: 10.1130/abs/2026CD-410747
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