Planetary process
Plate Tectonics
The slow motion of a planet's rigid surface plates over its convecting mantle, continually creating and recycling crust. Earth is the only body where plate tectonics is known to operate today, and it is deeply tied to Earth's long-term climate and habitability.
Highlights
- ›Known for certain only on Earth
Worlds, layers & processes
Across comparative planetology
Knowledge connections
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.