Plate driving force of the Cretaceous Pacific Plate

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K03772
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 17040:Solid earth sciences-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Nakanishi Masao 千葉大学, 大学院理学研究院, 教授 (80222165)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 太平洋プレート / 海底地形 / 中央海嶺の痕跡 / 磁気異常縞模様 / マントルプルーム

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The origins of the Hokkaido trough and Nova-Canton rifting system, western Pacific Ocean, were examined based on topographic features, magnetic anomaly lineations and seismic reflection profiles. The results revealed that the Hokkaido trough is the trace of the break-up of the Cretaceous Pacific Plate after the formation of the Shatsky Rise was finished and that the Nova-Canton rifting system was formed after the formation of the Ontong Java Plateau. They suggest that the change in activity of the mantle plume resulted in the reorganization of the plate boundaries.

Free Research Field

海洋底地球科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究課題の研究成果は、地球科学の基本的な考えであるプレートテクトニクスにおける重要な課題の一つである「プレート運動の支配的な駆動力が何か」に答えるために必要な新たな知見を与える。