Manus Trench (original) (raw)

Manus Trench is an oceanic trench in the Bismarck Sea north of Papua New Guinea delineating the plate tectonic boundary between the Caroline and North Bismarck plates. There very moderate seismic activity along both these trenches, and their status as an active subduction zone has been challenged. A relative motion of 10 mm/a (0.39 in/year) or less has, nevertheless, been suggested for the Manus Trench, roughly normal to the trench. Perpendicular to the two trenches is another trench, the separating the Caroline Plate and Pacific Plate.