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Researchers from Turkey and Canada have identified cracks and structural faults in the tectonic plates of the Pacific Ocean before they even reach the subduction zones, shattering everything that science believed about the geological stability of the seabed!
When we think of the bottom of the Pacific Ocean, we immediately think of a calm environment, without any major surprises. But what if I told you that the Earth is literally cracking down there? Well, scientists from Turkey and Canada have made a discovery that could change everything we knew about tectonic plates.
Until now, the idea was that these plates remained firm and only began to deform when they reached the zones of subduction, those regions where one dives beneath the other. However, it seems that the plates in the Pacific Ocean are already cracking before they even get close to these zones!
The discovery that messed up underwater geology in the Pacific Ocean
Scientists analyzed four large underwater plateaus in the Pacific Ocean—Ontong Java, Shatsky, Hess, and Manihiki. And here’s the surprise: these formations already show cracks, faults, and signs of stretching long before they come into contact with other plates. In other words, it’s not exactly the story of “everything is solid until the collision.”
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Because it was believed that the plates were rigid and stable until the moment of impact with another formation. Now, this new study shows that they have already become weakened along the way, especially in regions where the oceanic crust is thicker.
What is causing the Pacific Ocean to split?
Yes, and it's no small thing. The big issue here is that these plates are being pulled, pressed and twisted long before any direct impact on the Pacific Ocean.
Scientists believe that this fragility comes from the interaction between the plates themselves and the gigantic forces exerted by the subduction zones, even thousands of kilometers away. It's as if a car is already crumpled before it even hits another.
What is happening is a play of forces that we cannot see, but that are there, working all the time. As the plates slide along the floor of the Pacific Ocean, they undergo constant stretching and compression. The result? Cracks, faults and displacements before they even reach the “collision point”.
Risk of earthquakes and tsunamis? What to expect
If the plates in the Pacific Ocean are already weakened before subduction, it makes sense that this could generate tremors in the middle of the ocean, right? And that's exactly the possibility that scientists are studying now.
The good news is that, for now, these tremors appear to be low-intensity, quite different from the giant earthquakes that occur in places like Japan.
Calm down, no need to run away! Despite this somewhat frightening news, experts believe that the risk of tsunamis remains low. Since these cracks are occurring in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, far from the coasts, they are unlikely to generate giant waves that could hit cities.
China is responsible for the earth breaking apart, along with everyone who explores oil ⛽️
The article has an alarmist streak. The rocks of the crust are obviously fractured or folded depending on the time + energy relationship. The reported discovery does not “destroy” scientific knowledge. But it confirms it. The stability of tectonic plates is relative: the planet is active and geological time is different from 'human' time. For example: Brazil does not have an active volcano, because the center of the South American plate is stable (continental plates are thicker and instability predominates at the edges). However, the emergence of volcanic activity is not impossible: the mantle can form a Hot Spot. When and where cannot be said. It is known that, if it happens, it will be the result of interactions in the Earth's internal dynamics.
Finally, the article would be very interesting if it highlighted that: technology allows for detailed studies, that the ocean floor is studied indirectly, that since the 1930s knowledge has been growing and disseminating the Theory of Plate Tectonics.
Nuclear countries detonate atomic bomb tests at the bottom of the oceans, hidden from the community, and what do they want, for everything to go back to normal?!