Benioff Zone

A Benioff Zone is a region of intense seismic activity, such as earthquakes, that occurs along a subducting tectonic plate at a convergent boundary. When one oceanic plate is forced beneath another into the Earth's mantle, it creates a zone of fractures and faults that extend deep into the Earth’s crust. These zones are characterized by frequent earthquakes, reflecting the movement and interaction of plates at different depths. The Benioff Zone helps scientists understand how Earth's plates move and how deep-seated earthquakes can originate far below the surface.