Evidence for motion between Nubia and Somalia along the Southwest Indian ridge

Article Abstract:

It has not been possible to prove conclusively that the boundary between the Nubian (West African) and Somalian (East African) plates is not narrow where it intersects the Southwest Indian ridge. However, there are a number of reasons why this boundary is likely to be wide and diffuse. These include the fact that there is no narrow band of earthquakes in the sea floor southeast of southern Africa. It now seems clear that a plate boundary intersects each of the three narrow plate boundaries that meet at the Rodrigues triple junction.

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The Antarctic connection. Plate tectonics

Article Abstract:

Cande and colleagues have presented data revealing an extinct plate-tectonic boundary between two parts of Antarctica. They have been able to estimate motion between East and West Antarctica and show that there was around 180km of separation in the western Ross Sea embayment, and thus 180km of motion between East and West Antarctica, between 43 and 26 million years ago.

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Evidence for long-term diffuse deformation of the lithosphere of the equatorial Indian Ocean

Article Abstract:

The equatorial Indian Ocean shows evidence of unusual deformation through the presence of major earthquakes, thrust faults, and east-west-striking folds. There are indications that the deformation started 7.5-8.0 Myr ago. However, plate reconstructions show that motion over the diffuse oceanic plate boundary started over 10 Myr earlier.

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