微与大:基本原与范 转

The traditional plate tectonics theory has been the dominant theory in geoscience for more than 50 years. It is the basic paradigm to understand how the solid Earth operated, but it has encountered three major problems: origin of plate tectonics, intraplate deformation and plate-driving mechanisms. Aiming at these three problems, the theory of Microplate Tectonics attempts to develop a new research paradigm for global tectonics. By comparing with the point-to-point basic principles of the traditional plate tectonic theory, this paper describes the basic principles and advantages of the microplate tectonic theory and its extension to the traditional plate tectonic theory. Microplate tectonic paradigm, different from both the paradigm of traditional plate tectonics and mantle plume, is their important supplement and extension. From the views of geometry, kinematics, dynamics, scope of application, theoretical starting point, theoretical hypothesis and prediction, this paper explores the similarities and differences between megaplates and microplates, revealing their transitional relationships and the diversity of transitional mechanism, introducing four growth ways from microplates to large-scale plates and three transition models from large-scale plates to microplates, and exploring the natural selection process of micro-blocks under the pre-plate tectonic system to evolve into microplates under the plate system through self-organization and self-growth in a nonlinear Earth system. It is proposed that the continental crust-type micro-block is a result of density selection, and the density determines its preservation mechanism, which is the basis of the origin of continental crust. The transition from micro-block to microplate is a result of rigidity selection, which determines the necessary conditions for the initiation of the original plate tectonic system. The transition of asymmetric subduction or mantle convection pattern is the result of thermal selection for microplate, and its thermal asymmetry determines the necessary conditions for the initiation of modern plate tectonic system.