Skip to main content

Pacific Plate

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:
  • 5 Accesses

The Pacific Plate is located in the Pacific Ocean and is mainly composed of oceanic crust. Its eastern boundary is the San Andreas transform fault, which separates it from the North American Plate. Its western boundary is the Mariana Trench, which separates it from the Philippine Sea Plate. Extension at the mid-ocean ridge in the Pacific Ocean is on-going and associated with extensive neutral-basic volcanic eruptions. Studies of the magnetic stripes on the oceanic crust and abundant seismic data indicate that the Pacific Plate is still expanding and subsiding towards the eastern and western margins, creating the most active volcanic and seismic belt in the world.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   549.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD   699.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2020 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

(2020). Pacific Plate. In: Chen, A., Ng, Y., Zhang, E., Tian, M. (eds) Dictionary of Geotourism. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-13-2538-0_1808

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics