Interesting stuff. Geology is one of the sciences working with really new theories, the way tectonic plates work was only figured out in the 60’s and 70’s. That’s why they are still finding out new information.
I wish I could find my geology book, it must be buried in a box under a bunch of other boxes...haven’t seen it since I moved back to Texas.
I tend to agree with the theory in the last paragraph, it’s probably both the tearing of the crust and the pressure of the plate itself moving working in conjunction. It makes sense, the plates are all always moving but very slowly. I think I read a while back the San Andreas fault in California is moving something like 2 inches a year, one of the fastest. Some only move 1/4 inch a year.
One thing I’m worried about though, as we move into the new solar cycle, geological activity will be increasing and several spots are overdue for major eruptions or earthquakes. San Andreas is one of them, also Yellowstone. If those two are close enough together, it’s very possible that sudden activity at one will trigger activity in the other and that would be a worldwide disaster.
A major earthquake would very likely destroy a large part of California, and a Yellowstone eruption would cover half the US in ash several feet thick, and could produce an ash cloud capable of blocking enough sunlight to stunt plant growth for a long time.
If both happened at the same time, it would be a disaster unlike anything we’ve ever even imagined. I think if we’re observant, we’ll see early warning signs. Animals seems to have a 6th sense. In a heavy winter squirrels will grow thicker tails, in a dry summer ants will build higher nests, lower in a wet summer...ahead of time. Most animals in fall grow a winter coat, almost always thicker in heavy winters, again ahead of time.
So will we see a mass migration of animals away from these problem areas before a major event? And will we interpret it correctly?
Most likely subducted....