Diamantina Fracture Zone
rift valley, Indian Ocean
Quick Summary
The Diamantina Fracture Zone is a rift valley located southwest of Australia in the Indian Ocean. It formed approximately 50 to 60 million years ago when Australia separated from Antarctica. Fracture zones in the Indian Ocean, like the Diamantina, offset the axes of oceanic ridges, primarily in a north-south direction. These features are distinct from deep-sea trenches, which are typically associated with subduction zones where one tectonic plate slides beneath another.12
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