At https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2023GL105452 … the consensus view on Plate Tectonics may not be all it is cracked up to be. It is assumed the Pacific plate is more or less surrounded by the ring of fire volcano chain and it is subducting at various trenchs, including some that are very deep. Deep as the Grand Canyon one might say. These plates have traditionally been pictured as somewhat rigid in nature. Even during [continental] drift. The paradigm is they only experience serious tectonic activity at suduction zones – even though there are not enough trenches to subduct a wall of the plate. The trenches are in fact, piecemeal. Yet, they have to subduct somewhere, and the entirety of the trench system may still be out there. Or is it?
In this paper new findings suggest geophysical and geological evidence at a series of plateaus, some way from its boundaries. are actually prone to tectonic activity. The authors have to explain this and say that during the process of plate drift there is deformation. This tectonic activity is widespread across the Pacific plate – which contradicts the paradigm. Yet, as good geologists they need to find an explanation of why this might happen. The solution considered is the ocean plateaus, assumed to be extra thick basalt rock, is to recognise they are actually weaker regions of the plate – not stronger. More prone to deformation. The idea is put forward that due to pressure from the subduction zones [mainly trenches on the sea floor] pressure is put on the plateau locations – as they are forced downwards by a greater amount of depth because of their height in relation to the surrounding plate material – even though the plate boundaries are actually a long way away.
When you consider there is also a lot of submarine volcanoes in the Mid Pacific plate region one is left wondering what might be going on. There are also numerous seamounts and these can grow in bursts, implicating tectonic forces at work.