Here's a breakdown of specific branches within geology that focus on tectonic plates:

* Geophysics: Studies the physical properties of the Earth, including its internal structure, composition, and the forces that drive plate tectonics.

* Seismology: Focuses on earthquakes, including their causes, patterns, and effects. Understanding earthquakes is crucial for studying how tectonic plates interact.

* Petrology: Examines the formation, composition, and structure of rocks, which provides clues about the history of tectonic activity.

* Structural Geology: Analyzes the deformation and folding of rocks, revealing how tectonic forces have shaped the Earth's crust.

* Paleomagnetism: Studies the Earth's magnetic field in the past, which can be used to track the movement of tectonic plates over time.

* Geodesy: Measures the Earth's shape and gravity field, providing data about the movement and deformation of tectonic plates.

So, while the study of tectonic plates is a broad field, it's primarily rooted in geology and its various sub-disciplines.