Editing Explorer plate (section)

== Formation and evolution ==
Upon breaking apart 4 million years ago, the Juan De Fuca plate continued moving northeast at 26&nbsp;mm/year (1 in/year) while the Explorer plate's velocity changed, stalling or moving slowly north up to 20&nbsp;mm/year. The Nootka Fault boundary between the Juan De Fuca plate and the Explorer plate has varied in length and direction since their separation.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hyndman|first1=R. D.|last2=Riddihough|first2=R. P.|last3=Herzer|first3=R.|date=1979-09-01|title=The Nootka Fault Zone – a new plate boundary off western Canada|journal=Geophysical Journal International|volume=58|issue=3|pages=667–683|doi=10.1111/j.1365-246X.1979.tb04801.x|issn=0956-540X|bibcode=1979GeoJ...58..667H|doi-access=free}}</ref> The formation of the Nookta Fault and the [[Shearing (physics)|shearing]] of plate boundaries has caused a clockwise rotation, reorienting the Sovanco fracture zone northwards along the North American plate and slowing the Explorer plate's subduction.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal|last1=Braunmiller|first1=Jochen|last2=Nábělek|first2=John|date=2002-10-01|title=Seismotectonics of the Explorer region|journal=Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth|volume=107|issue=B10|pages=2208|doi=10.1029/2001JB000220|issn=2156-2202|bibcode=2002JGRB..107.2208B|url=https://scholarcommons.usf.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1816&context=geo_facpub|doi-access=free}}</ref> The Sovanco fracture zone originated as a [[spreading center]] offset more than 7 million years ago which shows southward movement from the influence of the Explorer ridge and results in uneven spreading eastward unto the Explorer plate.<ref name=":1" />