What is the Nansen-Gakkel Ridge?

The Nansen-Gakkel Ridge is a trans-Arctic extension of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and serves as a segment of the global mid-oceanic ridge system within the Arctic Ocean.12

Discovered in the early 1960s, this feature is a locus of active ocean-floor spreading, characterized by a well-developed rift valley and flanking rift mountains. It is seismically active, distinguishing it from the nearby Lomonosov Ridge, which is an aseismic feature.21

The Nansen-Gakkel Ridge divides the Eurasia Basin into two smaller subbasins:
* The Fram Basin, which lies between the Nansen-Gakkel Ridge and the Lomonosov Ridge.2
* The Nansen Basin, which is situated between the Nansen-Gakkel Ridge and the Eurasian continental margin.2

The ridge is also sometimes referred to as the Nansen Cordillera, named in honor of the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen.2