Post-ridge-subduction acceleration of the Indian plate induced by slab rollback

The driving forces of plate motion, especially that of its sudden change over time, has long been debated. During the closure of an old ocean, the subduction process of the mid-ocean ridge provides valuable clues to quantitative evaluation of the driving forces of plate tectonics. Here we show that the drifting rates of the Indian plate were correlated with a Late Cretaceous adakitic event hosting abundant adakites and adakitic charnockites in...