Caroline plate

Caroline plate
The Caroline plate is shown with red shading in this map of local tectonic features from Bird's 2003 model.[1] Further definition of some of the plate boundaries implied in the map has occurred in the southeast since.[2]
TypeMinor
Approximate area1,700,000 km2[3]
Movement1north-west
Speed187 mm/year
FeaturesPacific Ocean
1Relative to the African plate

The Caroline plate is a minor tectonic plate that straddles the Equator in the eastern hemisphere located north of New Guinea. It forms a subduction zone along the border with the Bird's Head plate and other minor plates of the New Guinea region to the south. A transform boundary forms the northern border with the Pacific plate. Along the border with the Philippine Sea plate is a convergent boundary that transitions into a rift.

The Caroline plate was first proposed as a distinct plate by Weissel & Anderson 1978.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Bird-p18 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Benyshek2021 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Alden 2016