Mariana subduction zone

E57496

convergent plate boundary subduction zone tectonic plate boundary

The Mariana subduction zone is a deep oceanic trench system in the western Pacific where the Pacific Plate is forced beneath the smaller Mariana Plate, creating one of the world's deepest and most active tectonic boundaries.

Observed surface forms (4)

Surface form	As subject	As object
Mariana subduction system	0	2
Benioff zone beneath the Mariana Trench	0	1
Mariana Trench forearc region	0	1
Mariana forearc region	0	1

Statements (49)

Predicate	Object
instanceOf	convergent plate boundary → subduction zone → tectonic plate boundary →
ageOfSubductingPlate	old oceanic lithosphere →
associatedWith	Izu–Bonin Arc → surface form: Izu–Bonin–Mariana Arc Mariana Islands → Mariana Trough →
causes	formation of island arc volcanoes → oceanic trench formation →
countryExclusiveEconomicZone	United States of America → surface form: United States
crustType	oceanic crust →
discoveredBy	early 20th century oceanographic expeditions →
drives	deep-focus earthquakes → mantle wedge melting →
environmentType	hadal zone →
geologicalActivity	arc volcanism → frequent earthquakes → intense seismic activity →
hasBathymetry	narrow trench floor → very steep trench walls →
hasFeature	Challenger Deep → Mariana Trench →
hasOverridingPlate	Mariana Plate →
hasProcess	dehydration of subducting slab → metamorphism at high pressure → slab rollback →
hasSubductingPlate	Pacific Plate →
hazardType	seismic hazard → tsunami potential →
lithosphereType	oceanic lithosphere →
locatedIn	Pacific Ring of Fire → western Pacific Ocean →
maximumDepth	about 11,000 meters → about 36,000 feet →
namedAfter	Mariana Islands →
near	Mariana Islands → surface form: Mariana Islands of the western Pacific
partOf	Mariana Trench → surface form: Mariana Trench system Pacific Plate boundary system →
plateMotionType	convergence →
produces	Mariana Island Arc → surface form: Mariana island arc back-arc basin → volcanic seamounts →
relativeDepthRank	deepest known oceanic trench system on Earth →
researchUse	study of deep subduction processes → study of extreme deep-sea environments → study of plate tectonics →
studiedBy	geophysicists → oceanographers →
tectonicSetting	oceanic-oceanic convergence →

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mariana Island Arc → associatedWith → Mariana subduction zone →

this entity surface form: Benioff zone beneath the Mariana Trench

Mariana volcanic arc → hasPart → Mariana subduction zone →

this entity surface form: Mariana Trench forearc region

Challenger Deep → isPartOf → Mariana subduction zone →

this entity surface form: Mariana subduction system

Esmeralda Bank → locatedOn → Mariana subduction zone →

this entity surface form: Mariana forearc region

Mariana volcanic arc → overlies → Mariana subduction zone →

Mariana Island Arc → partOf → Mariana subduction zone →

this entity surface form: Mariana subduction system