A hidden plume under Oman forced India to change direction 40 million years ago, altering the course of continental history forever
A team of geophysicists has uncovered startling evidence that a “ghost” plume — a deep mantle force trapped under Oman — pushed the Indian subcontinent onto its current trajectory between 40 and 25 million years ago. This subterranean force, discovered beneath the Salma Plateau, may have redirected India’s tectonic path after its collision with Eurasia, drastically changing where the nation sits on the map today, reported wionews.com.
A Silent Force That Shaped a Subcontinent
The research, published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters, reveals that this hidden structure — dubbed the “Dani plume” — remains trapped deep beneath Oman’s Salma Plateau, which rises up to 6,600 feet. Unlike most mantle plumes that cause volcanic activity, this one has remained amagmatic — meaning it causes no eruptions but still creates significant underground pressure.
Scientists believe a buried plume — one that doesn’t trigger volcanic eruptions — reshaped India’s geological history after the Indo-Eurasian collision, guiding the subcontinent toward its current position
Simone Pilia, lead author of the study and assistant professor at King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia, said seismic data confirmed the plume’s presence. “This is the first clear evidence of a ghost plume — a subterranean force that doesn’t lead to volcanoes but still reshapes the Earth’s surface,” Pilia told Live Science.
The plume made itself visible during seismic studies, where sound waves traveling through Earth at varying speeds were analyzed by monitoring stations in Oman. The patterns indicated a massive, active plume beneath the plateau — invisible from above but powerfully influential below.
Why It Matters
Until now, mantle plumes were primarily linked with volcanic hotspots and oceanic plates. The Dani plume challenges that notion, suggesting these hidden forces can exist beneath continental plates too, even if they don’t erupt. Because continental crust is thicker, such plumes become trapped, unable to decompress or rise to the surface.
While some geologists argue the Salma Plateau’s elevation may result from the nearby Makran subduction zone off the coast of Pakistan and Iran, the presence of the plume offers a compelling alternative explanation. Pilia and his team believe the plume’s upward pressure after the Indo-Eurasian collision deflected the Indian plate’s movement, ultimately shaping South Asia’s current geological position.
“This means if the plume hadn’t been there, India might be somewhere entirely different today,” Pilia added.
A New Chapter in Tectonic History
This discovery opens the door to reconsidering how non-volcanic plumes impact continental shifts and surface elevations. It also invites scientists to re-explore other continental regions where such ghost plumes might be silently influencing tectonic behavior.
The Dani plume’s subtle but significant role reveals that not all Earth-shaping forces announce themselves with eruptions. Some, like this one, operate in silence — but leave a massive imprint on our planet’s past.
