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oceanic ridge
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Images, Videos & Interactives
World map highlighting major features of the ocean basins, including trenches, ridges, basins, and plateaus labeled throughout the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Southern, and Arctic Oceans. Continents are shown with shaded terrain, and prominent undersea features such as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Mariana Trench, and Kerguelen Plateau are marked across the map. transform faults Cross-sectional diagram illustrating plate tectonics, showing oceanic and continental crust moving over the asthenosphere. It highlights divergent boundaries at oceanic ridges where crust forms, convergent boundaries at trenches with subduction zones where crust is destroyed, and a transform boundary with a fault. Features such as island arcs, rising magma, and hotspots are labeled. Dive deep into the depths of the ocean. Atlantic Ocean, with depth contours and submarine features Indian Ocean Map of the Pacific Ocean showing depth contours in varying shades of blue, major submarine features such as trenches, ridges, and basins labeled throughout the ocean, and neighboring landmasses including Asia, Australia, North and South America. Principal cities along the Pacific rim and island groups are marked, along with international boundaries.
Hear researcher Andy Wheeler speaking about an expedition to discover new hydrothermal vent field in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean
Cross-sectional diagram showing three tectonic plates at ocean ridges, transform faults, and a subduction zone. The image illustrates rising magma forming rift and subduction volcanoes, convection currents in the mantle, and features such as ocean trenches, extinct and hot-spot volcanoes, and the movement of plates above a molten core and low-velocity mantle layer.
How and where does magma form on Earth?
At a Glance
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oceanic ridge summary

oceanic ridge: References & Edit History

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  • The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
    Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.

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Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: NOAA - Ocean Explorer - What Is The Mid-Ocean Ridge? Mar 18, 2024
Added interactive. Nov 16, 2023
Clarified the difference between an oceanic ridge and the oceanic ridge system. Nov 22, 2021
Video added. Sep 02, 2015
Add new Web site: NOAA - Ocean Explorer - What Is The Mid-Ocean Ridge? May 04, 2014
Add new Web site: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Dive and Discover. May 14, 2012
Add new Web site: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution - Dive and Discover. May 14, 2012
Add new Web site: ThinkQuest - Mid-Oceanic Ridges. Oct 31, 2010
Add new Web site: ThinkQuest - Mid-Oceanic Ridges. Oct 29, 2010
New text, formerly part of the "ocean" article, inserted to replace old article text. English conversions and five pieces of art added as well. Oct 07, 2009
Article revised and updated. Apr 24, 2008
Article added to new online database. Jul 20, 1998
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