Résumé
Previous work has suggested compression and thrust faulting along the northern boundary of the Easter microplate due to its motion relative to the Nazca plate. Inversion of the P and SH seismic waves related to a recent Ms=7.1 earthquake located along the northern boundary of the Easter microplate indicates a thin sliver of crust thrusting at a shallow angle towards the South, giving support to this interpretation. The Oman ophiolite where similar thrusts have been mapped has been recently interpreted as being derived from similar microplate environment [Boudier et al., 1997]. This interpretation 1) provides possible tests to document the existence of oceanic thrusts near microplates, and 2) suggests a new solution to the problem of how many ophiolites could have obtained oceanic detachment faults which will favour obduction.