The world-wide oceanic rise-ridge system

Abstract
About half the length of the * oceanic ’ rise-ridge system is centred in ocean basins. On the other hand, almost the whole system is approximately disposed in circles around continental shields. Exceptional heating of the system is indicated by high heat flow and the extrusion of extraordinary volumes of flood basalts. The concentration of volcanoes, however, is little greater than normal for ocean basins. Longitudinal normal faulting and transverse wrench faulting are characteristic of the system. Both types formed early in the life of the system and are still active. Wrench faults offset belts of normal faulting and the crests of rises and ridges in many places but are not themselves known to be offset by normal faults. The ancient Darwin Rise has subsided in the southwestern Pacific. Its history differs in some respects from other rises although it too was heated and faulted. A hypothesis of origin of the system is briefly discussed.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: