Final answer:
The Pacific Plate is being subducted and destroyed at the Mariana Trench. This subduction zone is known for its intense geological activity, including earthquakes and volcanic events, and plays a key role in the cycle of plate tectonics by balancing crust formation and destruction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The plate being destroyed at the Mariana Trench is the Pacific Plate. This destructive process occurs at a subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate is being forced beneath the overriding Mariana Plate. These subduction zones are characterized by deep oceanic trenches and are sites where intense geological activity can be observed, including earthquakes and volcanoes, which mark the gradual destruction of the oceanic plate.
Historically, subduction zones have been the locus of some of the most catastrophic natural disasters, including but not limited to the 1923 Yokohama earthquake, 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami, and 2011 Tohoku earthquake, indicating the immense power and potential for devastation that these geological boundaries can have.
The process of subduction is a crucial part of the plate tectonics cycle, as it balances the formation of new crust at rift zones like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The Mariana Trench serves as a stark example of the dynamics of plate tectonics, showing the lifecycle of the oceanic crust from its creation to its eventual destruction.