Microplate Dynamics Through the Wilson Cycle: Insights from Modelling and Observations

Microplates are widely distributed at plate margins and within plates, playing vital roles in the Wilson Cycle. However, their dynamic behaviour and feedback mechanisms across different stages remain poorly constrained. This study synthesizes insights from numerical modelling and geological observations, focusing on the roles of microplates in three key tectonic settings of the Wilson Cycle. Firstly, at divergent plate margins, microplates disrupt the continuity and uniformity of continental rifting, leading to asymmetric rift propagation and complex mid-ocean ridge reconfigurations. Secondly, at convergent plate margins, microplates may undergo crust-mantle decoupling during subduction, induce slab dip angle variation, terminate subduction process and facilitate new subduction initiation. Finally, in intraplate orogens, the heterogeneity of microplates during continental collision could lead to variations in strain distribution and lithospheric deformation, making it a key factor in driving the differential evolution of orogenic processes. This review highlights rheological strength as the primary control on the dynamic behaviour of microplates. Strong microplates transmit tectonic stress, whereas weak ones promote strain localization and accommodate major deformation. Natural cases align with model predictions, highlighting microplate strength as a key factor in shaping divergent plate margins, subduction geometry, and intraplate deformation. Overall, microplates significantly modulate the spatial complexity and temporal rhythms of the Wilson Cycle by controlling local rheological structure and strain localization tendencies. They may play critical roles in better understanding the global tectonic activities, as well as the further development of plate tectonics theory.