Seismic Structure of the Caroline Plateau‐Yap Trench Collision Zone

Collision of oceanic plateaus with trenches has played a key role in the continental growth and plate tectonic reorganizations throughout Earth's history. However, understanding collision between an initially rifted plateau trench is still deficient. Here we conduct first seismic tomography receiver function analyses Yap subduction zone, western Pacific Ocean, where Caroline Plateau colliding Trench. Our results reveal horizontal overturned slabs south north Sorol Trough, respectively, which may be caused by slab breakoff followed underplating eastward mantle flow ultra-slow convergence. The distinct morphologies could responsible for short-lived arc volcanism (11-7 Ma), horst-graben structures, different Bouguer gravity anomalies stress regimes zone. cause incoming to stretched facilitate initial subduction.