Dynamic interaction of seismic activity along rising and sinking edges of plate boundaries

Cumulative and differential cumulative seismic strain release of shallow earthquakes during 1964 through 1972 show significant time-delayed correlation for many of the rises and/or sinks of tectonic plate boundaries for the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific oceans. For the Pacific, time delays are almost exclusively from areas of higher to areas of lower strain release, and could imply viscous stress relaxation along or near the lithosphere—asthenosphere boundary. Seismically determined slip rates for many of the subduction zones during 1964–1972 are lower than those of the preceding part of the century by a factor of 5. The significant correlation between many rises and sinks suggests worldwide interaction and coupling of plate motion.