Pacific plate motion change caused the Hawaiian-Emperor Bend

Trond H. Torsvik; Pavel V. Doubrovine; Bernhard Steinberger; Carmen Gaina; Wim Spakman; Mathew Domeier

doi:10.1038/ncomms15660

Nature Communications (Jun 2017)

Pacific plate motion change caused the Hawaiian-Emperor Bend

Trond H. Torsvik,
Pavel V. Doubrovine,
Bernhard Steinberger,
Carmen Gaina,
Wim Spakman,
Mathew Domeier

Affiliations

Trond H. Torsvik: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Pavel V. Doubrovine: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Bernhard Steinberger: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Carmen Gaina: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Wim Spakman: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo
Mathew Domeier: Centre for Earth Evolution and Dynamics (CEED), University of Oslo

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15660
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8, no. 1
pp. 1 – 12

Abstract

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The Hawaiian-Emperor Chain has a 60° bend that has been interpreted as the result of Pacific plate motion at 47 Ma or drift of the Hawaiian hotspot. Here, the authors show that hotspot drift cannot be the dominant mechanism for bend formation, but involves a change in the direction of Pacific plate motion at ∼47 Ma.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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