What is the process called when an oceanic plate is forced under another plate?

The process being described is called subduction, which occurs when an oceanic plate is forced under another tectonic plate, typically a continental plate or another oceanic plate. This phenomenon happens because oceanic plates are denser than continental plates due to their composition, which includes basalt and other heavier materials. The denser oceanic plate moves downward into the mantle, creating a subduction zone characterized by deep ocean trenches and volcanic arcs.

Subduction is a critical process in plate tectonics and plays a major role in the recycling of the Earth's crust, driving geological activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It also contributes to the formation of mountain ranges and ocean features. Understanding this process is essential for grasping how tectonic movements shape the Earth's surface and influence marine ecosystems.

Rifting refers to the process where tectonic plates are moving away from each other, creating new crust, particularly in areas like mid-ocean ridges. Transform faulting involves plates sliding past each other horizontally without creating or destroying crust, and convergence describes the broader category of interactions between plates that includes both subduction and continental collision events. However, subduction specifically highlights the unique aspect of one plate being forced downward beneath another, making it the precise term for this geological process.