In the process of subducted stab capture, a spreading ridge approaches
subparallel to a subduction zone following the trailing edge of a dow
ngoing plate. Eventually the downgoing plate is too young and small to
subduct, and spreading stops. The spreading ridge stalls many tens of
kilometres outboard of the subduction zone. The subducted plate welds
to the outboard plate across the dormant spreading center and is capt
ured by it. The captured plate then acquires the motion of the plate i
t welded to. In the southwest Pacific the Pacific-Phoenix ridge approa
ched the east Gondwana margin as the Phoenix plate subducted beneath N
ew Zealand, the Chatham Rise and Campbell Plateau, the Lord Howe Rise
(collectively, Zealandia), and Marie Byrd Land in Cretaceous time. Spr
eading and subduction shut delta here between 110 and 105 Ma, and some
sections of the Phoenix plate became welded to (captured by) the Paci
fic plate. Pacific plate northward motion began in Aptian time, pullin
g the captured subducted microplates with it. This movement exerted a
basal traction on the overlying east Gondwana margin and resulted in e
xtension of Zealandia and Marie Byrd Land, Continued Pacific northward
motion rifted Zealandia from Marie Byrd Land at about 85 Ma.