Talk:Pacific Plate

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Overall movement[edit]

Is the plate moving in any particular direction overall? Richard001 09:18, 25 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It is a question of relative to what? Relative to North America, the Pacific Plate is moving NNW in places (along the panhandle of Alaska and the San Andreas Fault in California) and NW under Alaska and the Aleutians. Relative to the Hot Spot reference frame, it is moving NW (expressed in the apparent SE progression of the Hawaiian Islands chain). Relative to New Zealand, it is sliding south. Relative to the Philippine Plate and Japan, it is moving west. Does this help? Geologyguy 13:55, 25 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I guess I'm asking about it's absolute movement, that is, relative to a fixed point like the south pole. The Indian plate, for example, has moved northward in recent times, at least as I understand. Richard001 03:53, 26 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

But the south pole itself is not really fixed, over geologic time; the axis of rotation precesses. I think the closest reasonable thing you could make reference to would be the Hot Spot Reference Frame, which is relatively stable compared to the crust. With respect to that, the Pacific Plate is moving NW over the Hawaiian Hot Spot. Geologyguy 03:57, 26 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]

It is relevant that the Pacific Plate changed direction sometime as evidenced in the change of direction in the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain.98.228.227.12 (talk) 07:41, 22 January 2011 (UTC)Dan[reply]

Is it correct that it move 9 to 8 cm per year? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.16.30.114 (talk) 17:32, 18 May 2011 (UTC)[reply]