Fracture zone

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An illustration of the difference between the active transform faults between offset ridge axes, and inactive fracture zones.

A linear oceanic feature--often hundreds, even thousands of kilometers long--resulting from the action of offset mid-ocean ridge axis segments; they are a consequence of plate tectonics. Lithospheric plates on either side of an active transform fault move in opposite directions; here, strike-slip activity is possible. Fracture zones extend past the transform faults, away from the ridge axis; seismically inactive (because both plate segments are moving in the same direction), they display evidence of past transform fault activity.

 This geology article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.