ridge

landform

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Last updated

July 13, 2026

Quick Summary

A ridge is an elevated landform, often appearing as a long, linear mountain range or an elongated crest. These features can be found on land, such as mountain ranges formed by tectonic processes like folding and thrusting. In these cases, resistant rock layers form the ridges, with weaker rock creating valleys in between.12

Ridges also exist underwater as aseismic ridges, which are mountainous structures on the ocean floor that are not associated with earthquakes. These are typically formed by volcanism from hot spots and are composed of coalescing volcanoes. The term "ridge" can also refer to the top line where two sloping surfaces meet, like the peak of a roof or a line of plowed ground.341

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Mercury
Basin and surrounding region
…smooth plains that are extensively ridged and fractured in a prominent radial and concentric pattern. The largest ridges are a few hundred kilometres long, about 3 km (2 miles) wide, and less than 300 metres (1,000 feet) high. More than 200 fractures that are comparable to the ridges in size…
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…smooth plains that are extensively ridged and fractured in a prominent radial and concentric pattern. The largest ridges are a few hundred kilometres long, about 3 km (2 miles) wide, and less than 300 metres (1,000 feet) high. More than 200 fractures that are comparable to the ridges in size…
Read More