Island Arcs - Earth Discover

Illustrative cross-section demonstrating a higher-density plate (right) diving or subducting beneath a lower-density plate (left), resulting in a region of earthquakes and volcanoes along the collision zone. On a spherical planet, these volcanoes form an arc-shaped pattern across the surface.

1949: Uncovering Earth’s Seismic Patterns – Wadati and Benioff’s Contributions

Kiyoo Wadati and Hugo Benioff's research into deep seismic activity laid the groundwork for understanding island arcs and contributed significantly to plate tectonics theory