Scientists have made a significant discovery regarding an undersea plateau in the Pacific Ocean, known as the Melanesian Border Plateau, which surpasses the size of the western Indian state of Gujarat. The research, featured in the journal Earth and Planetary Science Letters, reveals that this plateau has been expanding since the Cretaceous period, an era that spanned from 145 to 66 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs.
The study, led by Kevin Konrad, a geoscientist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, unveils that the formation of the Melanesian Border Plateau resulted from four distinct episodes of volcanism, each triggered by different underlying factors. This undersea plateau is situated to the east of the Solomon Islands.
Konrad emphasized the importance of understanding the timeline of the plateau’s formation, stating, “because giant volcanic features under the ocean are often poorly understood.” He pointed out that certain features in the Pacific basin have been inadequately studied, with scientists possessing only a single sample that suggests a massive, singular event.
The Melanesian Border Plateau’s growth and the detailed insights gained from the study provide valuable information about the dynamics of undersea volcanic features, enhancing our comprehension of these phenomena. This discovery contributes to a broader understanding of the geological history of the Pacific Ocean region, shedding light on the complex processes that have shaped the Earth over millions of years.
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