CENOZOIC PLATE INTERACTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND PHILIPPINE SEA

PLATES: “HIT-AND-RUN” TECTONICS

Though paleomagnetic data, geochemical data, and stratigraphic data, the authors were
able to provide a model explaining the Eo-oligocene development in the region. The paper explains
two marginal basins formed from back-arc setting opened at different times. The first opened
between Mid Jurrassic and early Cretaceous, now present as the New Guinea Ophiolite. The other
was during Oligocene to Middle Miocene, and obducted during early Pliocene.

The authors gave an overview on the tectonic setting of the area of study. Rapid
convergence between the Philippine Sea, Sunda Plate, and Indo-Australia largely controlled the
tectonic development of Southeast Asia. Another important piece of information presented was
the difficulty to unravel the contact between New Guinea and the Philippine Sea plate. Also, the
explanation on Sorong Fault. Ophiolite sequences also play a part in this paper.

A reconstruction of the Late-Mesozoic-Neogene evolution of the Western Pacific was

presented by the author using tectonic and structural data from Australia’s northern margin.

Stratigraphic records were also used by the authors to explain the plate interactions. Arc
fragments were also observed in New Guinea as evidences of the collisions explained in the paper.
Strike-slip motion was well preserved in stratigraphic records, as well as evidence of contraction
which can be attributed to the collision. The way the authors presented their evidences were very
interesting as they presented different areas in the Philippines. Fault-set analysis was also
employed by the authors.

From the gathered data of the authors, two possibilities were proposed: First, in the past,
the Philippine Sea came into contact with the Australian Plate. This infers that the Australian
margin extended as far as the Philippine Sea Plate. This is supported by the presence of the
fragments. The second, the Philippine Sea originated from the Australian plate. Reconstructions
of the Philippine Sea Plate presented that the Philippine Sea was attached to the Australian Plate,
and was separated.

The authors wrote a paper that had very interesting conclusions, each being supported by
very convincing data. The Philippine Sea Plate originating from Australia was very interesting.
The way the paper was written was kind of hard to comprehend. Providing further explanation on
the methodology used by the authors would have been very welcome. The illustrations given by
the authors were kind of hard to understand. Nevertheless, studying this part of the Philippine Sea
Plate was a nice change of pace from the previous articles.