The plate's movement vectors, as accepted today, were first proposed in 2003 by Bird.[4] Its boundaries and angular momentum were further defined in 2011 and 2018 with refinement of tectonic plate deformation and strain rate.[7][8] The Balmoral Reef plate however may be less rigid, as assumed in such modelling, as it is dominated by active deformation zones.[9] The region is complex and may well have several other microplates or blocks.[3] To the west its triple junction with the Pacific plate and the Australian plate is quite close to the western triple junction of the Futuna plate.
Hall, R. (2002). "Cenozoic geological and plate tectonic evolution of SE Asia and the SW Pacific: computer-based reconstructions, model and animations". Journal of Asian Earth Sciences. 20 (4): 353–431. Bibcode:2002JAESc..20..353H. doi:10.1016/S1367-9120(01)00069-4.
Bird, P., Y. Y. Kagan, and D. D. Jackson, Plate tectonics and earthquake potential of spreading ridges and oceanic transform faults, in Plate Boundary Zones, Geophys. Monogr. Ser., vol. 30, edited by S. Stein and J. T. Freymueller, 203–218, AGU, Washington, D. C.,
