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Letter MGeology glossary

Mid-Ocean Ridge

A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain range formed by plate tectonics where new oceanic crust is created by volcanic activity as tectonic plates diverge. These ridges are key features of the ocean floor and are crucial in understanding seafloor spreading, plate tectonics, and the Earth’s geodynamics.

Mid-ocean ridge cross-section showing mantle and crust layers
Fig. 1 Mid-ocean ridge cross-section showing mantle and crust layers

Source Macdonald, K. C. (1982). “Mid-Ocean Ridges: Fine Scale Tectonic, Volcanic and Hydrothermal Processes within the Plate Boundary Zone.” Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 10(1), 155-190.

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