纳斯卡板块的绝对运动速度,经校准,为3.7厘米/年,方向为偏东(88°),在所有板块中是绝对运动速度最快的之一。纳斯卡板块的消减是少见的平板消减(英语:Flat slab subduction),在发生消减的时候,变形和撕裂同时发生(Barzangi and Isacks),并持续不断地形成具有火山的安第斯山脉。纳斯卡板块的变形甚至还影响到了远在其东部的玻利维亚的地理(Tinker et al.)。
Muawia Barazangi and Bryan L. Isacks, "Spatial distribution of earthquakes and subduction of the Nazca plate beneath South America" in Geology Vol. 4, No. 11, pp. 686–692. Abstract
Mark Andrew Tinker, Terry C. Wallace, Susan L. Beck, Stephen Myers, and Andrew Papanikolas, "Geometry and state of stress of the Nazca plate beneath Bolivia and its implication for the evolution of the Bolivian orocline" in Geology24(5), pp. 387–390 Abstract
Cahill, T. and B. Isacks (1992). "Seismicity and shape of the subducted Nazca plate." Journal Geophysical Research97(12)
James, D. (1978). "Subduction of the Nazca plate beneath Central Peru." Geology6 (3) pp 174 – 178