Is plate tectonics possible without an ocean of water?

Plate tectonics as we currently understand them would not work without oceans. The initiation of plate tectonics does not require water, as the heat from mantle, especially during the early years of the Earth when there was high heat-flow, is enough to generate convection currents with enough force to split the crust. read more

In short, there may be no tectonic plate activity at all in the absence of liquid water. Elaborated : A critical part of the Wilson Cycle, and of Plate Tectonics as a whole, is the initiation of subduction. read more

Volcanic gasses contain much H2O and CO2, and the outgassing of volcanic gas during plate-tectonics may have been an important source of surface water on earth. No one really knows for certain whether an exoplanet will be discovered that has oceans without plate-tectonics, or even plate-tectonics without oceans. read more

Most of the liquid water on the surface of the earth fills the ocean basins. We understand the ocean basins (on earth) as having been formed by the process of plate-tectonics. Plate-tectonics is required to generate ocean crust as we know it. Plate-tectonics implies active convection is taking place in the planet's interior (at least the mantle). read more