地震学家 E.Okal 在美国地球物理联合会1980年秋季年会上报告说,南极板块不像其它大陆那样快地在地球上移动着,但其地震活动类似于其它板块的。他反驳这样一种说法:环绕板块的环状扩张洋脊释放掉南极的应力。他用少量的板块地震报告,论证了环绕板块的洋脊不可能传输构造应力,并会使南极板块保持固定,而且没有地震应力。但当地提到近55年来释放的地震能量时,他发现南极类似于其规模相当的非洲板块。 Seismologist E. Okal, at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Association in the fall of 1980, reported that the Antarctic plate does not move as fast on Earth as other continents, but its seismic activity is similar to that of the other plates. He contradicts the statement that the annular ridges surrounding the plate release the stress from the Antarctic. He used a small number of plate earthquake reports to demonstrate that the ridges surrounding the plate were unlikely to transmit tectonic stress and would keep the plate of the Antarctic stationary without seismic stress. However, referring to the seismic energy released in the recent 55 years, he found that the Antarctic resembles its sizeable African plate.