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Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research
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Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research

A special issue of Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (ISSN 2077-1312). This special issue belongs to the section "Geological Oceanography".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (10 December 2025) | Viewed by 4237

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Zhonghai Wu

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Guest Editor
Institute of Geomechanics, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing, China
Interests: neotectonics and active tectonics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Dun Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Earth Sciences, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China
Interests: real-time seismology; induced seismicity; active faults
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The dynamic nature of the Earth's lithosphere, particularly the oceanic plates, plays a crucial role in our understanding of the geophysical and geological processes of the Earth. This Special Issue, titled “Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research”, aims to showcase recent breakthroughs and cutting-edge research in the field of ocean plate tectonics and seismology. This collection includes studies on the mechanisms driving plate motions, the interaction between tectonic plates and underlying mantle processes, and the resulting seismic activities. By integrating observational data, advanced modeling techniques, and innovative analytical approaches, the contributions in this Issue provide new insights into the complex behavior of oceanic plates. Key topics include the assessment of ocean plate boundaries; subduction zone dynamics, mid-ocean ridge processes, and volcanoes; intraplate earthquakes; and tsunamis associated with subduction zones. This Special Issue highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approaches in advancing our understanding of ocean plate motions and their implications for global seismic hazards. In it, researchers, geophysicists, and Earth scientists will find valuable information and novel perspectives that can inform future studies and contribute to the broader field of Earth sciences.

Prof. Dr. Zhonghai Wu
Prof. Dr. Dun Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Marine Science and Engineering is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ocean plate boundaries
  • subduction zone dynamics
  • mid-ocean ridge processes
  • intraplate seismicity
  • great earthquake disaster related with subduction zones
  • volcanic activity associated with subduction zones

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 6567 KB  
Article
Influence of the Hainan Plume on the Deep Thermal Structure and Shallow Geothermal Field of Southeastern Coastal China
by Huihui Zhang, Lijuan He and Yaqi Wang
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2026, 14(1), 19; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14010019 - 22 Dec 2025
Abstract
Thermal anomalies within the lithosphere are an important manifestation of mantle plume–lithosphere interaction. Early studies primarily concentrated on the presence of the Hainan plume and its surface responses, with comparatively little research devoted to its hotspot track and lithospheric-scale thermal responses. Based on [...] Read more.
Thermal anomalies within the lithosphere are an important manifestation of mantle plume–lithosphere interaction. Early studies primarily concentrated on the presence of the Hainan plume and its surface responses, with comparatively little research devoted to its hotspot track and lithospheric-scale thermal responses. Based on high-resolution seismic data, we reveal that, although a low-velocity anomaly caused by the plume exists in the asthenospheric mantle beneath Hainan Island (>70 km), no such anomaly is observed in the lithospheric mantle (40~70 km). In comparison, within the same depth slice, a low-velocity body in the lithospheric mantle (40~70 km) is observed beneath the Jiangxi–Fujian boundary, accompanied by high-surface heat flow, and its location is shifted approximately 1300 km to the northeast relative to the low-velocity anomaly in the asthenosphere located under Hainan Island. To explain the spatial offset of the low-velocity anomalies, we constructed a three-dimensional geodynamic model aimed at investigating the lithospheric thermal evolution during interaction between the stationary Hainan plume and the moving South China Plate. The findings indicate that the lithospheric low-velocity zone beneath the Jiangxi-Fujian region may be a consequence of the migration of the lithospheric thermal anomaly caused by the Hainan plume with the South China Plate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research)
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13 pages, 12792 KB  
Article
Focal Mechanism of 2020–2025 Mw > 5.0 Earthquake Sequence in Bárðarbunga Volcanic Zone, Iceland, and Its Implications for Magma Inflow Activity
by Benhao Hou, Han Li, Xu Chang, Jinlai Hao, Suxiang Zhang and Qing Ye
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(11), 2172; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13112172 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 749
Abstract
Iceland is an emergent segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the Bárðarbunga volcano lies in central Iceland beneath the Vatnajökull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Geodetic and seismic observations indicate persistent post-eruptive inflation since the 2014–2015 intense volcanic eruption at Bárðarbunga, revealing [...] Read more.
Iceland is an emergent segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and the Bárðarbunga volcano lies in central Iceland beneath the Vatnajökull glacier, the largest glacier in Europe. Geodetic and seismic observations indicate persistent post-eruptive inflation since the 2014–2015 intense volcanic eruption at Bárðarbunga, revealing ongoing subsurface magmatic activity. To investigate details of the magma inflow process and monitor possible volcanic eruption, we studied focal mechanisms of seven earthquakes (with moment magnitude Mw > 5.0) that occurred from 2020 to 2025 in the Bárðarbunga volcanic zone, using the generalized Cut and Paste (gCAP) moment tensor inversion method. All inversions were checked and examined using the bootstrap uncertainty analysis. According to the results, all seven events exhibit significant positive non-double-couple components (35–58%), with centroid depths ranging from 3 to 9 km, within the typical brittle–ductile transition zone in Iceland. Our results correspond with the GNSS deformation data and the focal mechanism study of previous earthquakes at Bárðarbunga. We also find that focal mechanisms in the Bárðarbunga volcano region may vary with depth: shallow (≤7 km) events result from magma chamber pressurization or tensile fracturing due to magma intrusion, and deep (~9 km) activity reflects magma emplacement or overpressure accumulation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research)
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13 pages, 12156 KB  
Article
The Mantle Structure of North China Craton and Its Tectonic Implications: Insights from Teleseismic P-Wave Tomography
by Weiqian Yu, Wei Wei, James O. S. Hammond, Cunrui Han, He Tan and Haoyu Hao
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(4), 786; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13040786 - 15 Apr 2025
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Abstract
To study the mantle structure of the North China Craton (NCC) and its tectonic implications, in particular, the evolution of the rift systems in the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO), we used teleseismic data recorded by 250 portable seismic stations to invert for the [...] Read more.
To study the mantle structure of the North China Craton (NCC) and its tectonic implications, in particular, the evolution of the rift systems in the Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO), we used teleseismic data recorded by 250 portable seismic stations to invert for the P-wave velocity (Vp) structures of the mantle beneath the NCC. Our results show a large-scale low-Vp anomaly in the shallow mantle and high-Vp anomalies in the deeper upper mantle beneath the eastern NCC, with fine-scale high-Vp anomalies at the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary, indicating multi-stage lithospheric delamination during the Cenozoic. In the Yan Mountains (YanM), an east–west striking high-Vp anomaly between 60 to 200 km depths and low heat flow suggest the preservation of a thick mantle root. In the TNCO, high-Vp bodies in the upper mantle and the upper part of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) are imaged. The shallower high-Vp anomaly located beneath the Shanxi–Shaanxi Rift (SSR), along with an overlying local-scale low-Vp anomaly, indicates local hot material upwelling due to lithospheric root removal. The India–Eurasia collision’s far-field effects are proposed to cause lithospheric thickening, subsequent root delamination, and the formation and evolution of the SSR. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research)
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23 pages, 14443 KB  
Article
The Formation and Modification of the Arcuate Tectonic Belt in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau: Insight from Three-Dimensional Finite Element Numerical Simulation
by Yilin Zhao, Wei Shi, Yujun Sun and Guiting Hou
J. Mar. Sci. Eng. 2025, 13(1), 170; https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse13010170 - 18 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1495
Abstract
The arcuate tectonic belt in the northeast Tibetan Plateau has been a contentious topic regarding its formation and evolution, owing to its distinctive geological structure as the lateral growth boundary of the plateau. In this research, leveraging geological and geophysical data, a three-dimensional [...] Read more.
The arcuate tectonic belt in the northeast Tibetan Plateau has been a contentious topic regarding its formation and evolution, owing to its distinctive geological structure as the lateral growth boundary of the plateau. In this research, leveraging geological and geophysical data, a three-dimensional finite element numerical model is employed to explore the impact of lateral and vertical inhomogeneities in lithospheric strength on the northeast Tibetan Plateau’s growth and the arcuate tectonic belt’s formation and alteration. Additionally, the kinematic and deformation traits of the arcuate tectonic belt, such as regional motion velocity, stress, and crustal thickness during shortening and strike-slip deformation, are comparatively analyzed. The findings indicate that the arcuate tectonic belt takes shape when the weakly strengthened Tibetan Plateau is impelled into the Yinchuan Basin after being obstructed by the robust Alax and Ordos blocks during lateral expansion. Intense shear deformation occurs at the block boundaries during the arc tectonic belt’s formation. The weak middle-lower crust, serving as a detachment layer, facilitates the plateau’s lateral growth and crustal shortening and thickening without perturbing the overall deformation characteristics. It is verified that the arcuate tectonic belt was formed during the NE-SW compression phase from around 9.5 to 2.5 Ma, accompanied by significant crustal shortening and thickening. Since 2.5 Ma, within the ENE-WSW compression process, the internal faults of the arcuate tectonic belt are predominantly strike-slip, with no pronounced crustal shortening and thickening. Only local topographical modification is conspicuous. This study will enhance our comprehension of the Tibetan Plateau’s uplift and lateral growth process and furnish a foundation for investigating the formation of arcuate tectonic belts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ocean Plate Motion and Seismic Research)
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