A rapid tectonic plate reorganization event driven by changes at subduction locations in a mantle convection model.

The occurrence of tectonic plate reorganization events is evident throughout the geologic record and appears to be associated with the cessation of mature and/or initiation of new subduction. Subduction initiation that produced the bend in the Hawaii-Emperor seamount chain resulted in the most recent upheaval of plate motion and engendered dramatic changes in plate velocities. Here, applying a method for identifying plate boundaries in a numerical global mantle convection model, we calculate Euler vector time series of self-consistently generated plates over a period of approximately 144 Myr.