Part 3/11:
Unlike most volcanoes found along tectonic plate boundaries, Mount Paektu exists in a geological no man’s land, far removed from conventional fault lines. Traditional volcanic activity is attributed to the subduction of oceanic plates, which triggers magma formation. However, recent seismic imaging of Mount Paektu has unveiled a stagnant section of the ancient Pacific Plate trapped within the mantle transition zone, creating conditions for unusual volcanic behavior. The interaction between this slab and surrounding water-rich mantle material is crucial for magma generation, raising new questions about the processes driving volcanic activity far from subduction zones.