consider in detail the relief of the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.This topic is presented in many sources of surface.Therefore, relevant to many is the question: "Where can I find a description of the Atlantic Ocean?"Sometimes it requires a deep study of the topic.In this article we have tried as much as possible to disclose the matter.
Since describe bottom topography of the Atlantic Ocean, we note that the Mid-Atlantic Ridge - the main element of its orographic.By area, it is only slightly less than the ocean floor (24.6% and 37.6%, respectively).All ocean ridge that divides into two parts.They are roughly equal in size.General information on the Atlantic Ocean, as well as general knowledge of geography will allow you to better understand what is at stake in this article.In order to better understand the layout we are interested in the ocean, we suggest to familiarize with the card.
West of the mid-ocean ridge
Newfoundland is a ridge west of the mid-ocean ridge.Plateau of Rio Grande, raising Ceara, and the Bermuda Barracuda Ridge Plateau, as well as projections of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and continental margin under water, divide the western half of the ocean floor for Argentina, Brazil, Guiana (Guyana), North American, Newfoundland and Labrador Hollow.Norwegian-Greenland Basin and Baffin Sea are usually considered as part of a different oceans - the Arctic.
Labrador and Newfoundland Basin
continue the story that is the relief of the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.Briefly describe the two basins - Newfoundland and Labrador (the maximum depth of the last - 5160 meters).They essentially form a single whole.Most of them took the flat abyssal plain.In submeridional direction it crosses the abyssal valley Hazen.Newfoundland Basin fenced from the south ridge of the same name.He showed how the different seismic acoustic research is the giant accumulative form, which is associated with the movement of deep-sea sediment flows.
basins of North America, the Guiana and Ceara
North American Basin - is one of the largest basins that mark the relief of the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean.Short description thereof will continue our story.The greatest depth of the basin is 7110 meters.Bermuda plateau is located almost in the center of its northern part.It also highlighted volcanic massif Corner (also called lifting angles) and Mount Kelvin.Wavy abyssal plain extends from the plateau to the south of Bermuda.On the periphery of the basin are flat abyssal plains NARESA, Hatteras and catfish.North American Basin is bordered by the south-west from the Blake Ridge, Bahamas, as well as external Antilles shaft.Last extends along the Puerto Rico trench.It separates, with blocky ridge Barracuda, located on its continuation, the Guiana basin from North American.The influx of terrigenous sedimentary material provides almost universal development flat abyssal plain, called the plain of Demerara, Guiana within the basin.The Guiana basin has a maximum depth of 5109 meters in the north-western part, which is characterized mainly hilly.Small size lifting Ceara complicated by underwater volcanoes, it is separated from the Ceará basin.The greatest depth is 4700 meters final.The bottom of the basin occupied the flat plain of the same name.It should be noted another 2 abyssal valleys.This Wild, incision depth of which reaches 250 meters (connects Guiana and North American basins) and Pernambuco (connects Brazilian and Guiana Basin).
Brazilian Basin
largest basin in the western part of the ocean - Brazil.Here the relief of the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean predominantly hilly.On the plain of Pernambuco, a small area of the basin, it is wavy.Many underwater volcanoes located in the Brazilian basin.Some rise above sea level, forming a volcanic island (you Martin, Trinidad, Fernando de Noronha).Latitudinal fault zones subject to the location of the seamounts.
Brazilian Basin is separated from the south of the plateau of Rio Grande from the Argentine.Very difficult terrain of the plateau.Some seamounts rise above the plateau-like surfaces.
eastern part looks like a ridge, narrow, flat-topped.It stretches in the meridian direction.Between the continental margin of South America and the plateau extends Wim - abyssal valley through which water flows from the bottom of Argentina in the Brazilian basin.A significant part of the bottom of the Argentine takes undulating plain.The flat, narrow abyssal plain is on the western edge of the basin, and in the southern part is the largest accumulative underwater form - Range Sapiola.Its formation is associated with bringing nefeloidov and bottom sediment over the Antarctic.The Argentine basin large seamounts are not available, however, seismic acoustic profiles convey information that several mountains, which reaches the height of 2-2.5 km, buried under a layer of sediment.
Yuzhnoantilsky outer shaft - Ovodova uplift, located south of the Argentine basin.African-Antarctic Basin is located further south, between Antarctica and mid-ocean ridges.Notional boundary between the Indian and Atlantic oceans is carried on around 20 °.d. Taking into account this boundary, only the western part of the basin with a flat abyssal plain called Weddell is located in the Atlantic Ocean.Relief abyssal hills typical of the northern part of the basin.
What it is at the depth of the Atlantic Ocean in the east part of it?
relief of the ocean floor is quite complex and heterogeneous, composed of many elements.Atlantic Ocean is no exception.His bed in the eastern part is characterized by the presence of lateral or Azores-Biscay ridge array Gorringe, raising the Cape Verde Islands and the Canary Islands, Plateau Sierra Leone, Guinea and Walvis Ridge lift.They divide the entire eastern part of the ocean to Western Europe (maximum depth - 5023 meters), Canary (6549 meters), Iberian (5815 meters), Sierra Leone (6040 meters), Cape Verde (7282 meters), the Angolan (6050 meters), Guinea(5215 meters) and Cape (5457 meters) basin.Between Rockall, seamounts, and Iceland-Faroe threshold is Western European basins.
West European Basin
bottom of the basin - mostly hilly abyssal plain, only in the Bay of Biscay, and to the northwest by a flat plain stretches of Bizkaia.From north to south the bottom slit large abyssal valley Mori, whose length is approximately 3500 km.It is morphologically similar to the valley Hazen.The valley is accompanied by a large distance accumulative shafts, reaching a height of 50 meters.Two huge accumulation forms stand out in the northern part of the basin.This' sedimentary ridges "Feni and Gardar.Their formation is associated with increased intake with Iceland-Faroe threshold of sedimentary material.Iberian Basin, small in size, occupied the central part of the flat abyssal plain.With Biscay plain it connects gorge Theta.
south of the Iberian Basin
Relief bottom of the Atlantic Ocean to the south of the Iberian Basin is very cross.Features are defined by the presence of his range here Gorindzh, block-lava, as well as underwater mountains of the same name, raising Madeira and a group of other seamounts.The main features of the relief of the Atlantic Ocean Lodge in the area also include the presence of many underwater volcanoes.By the structure of the surface of the bottom Zelenomysskoy basin, as well as extensive Canaria (maximum depth of 6549 meters) can be divided into 3 submeridional zones: east, oceanic crust within which completely blocked the foot of the sloping plain of the continent;middle abyssal plain, flat and narrow;hilly west.The elements of the continental margin of Africa are also raising the volcanic Canary Islands (4 active volcanoes - one of them) and the islands of Cape Verde with the active volcano.All this and more fraught with the depth of the Atlantic Ocean.
very fast speed (7-7,3 km / s) of seismic waves is different lifting Sierra Leone.This is due to the introduction of the crust of ultrabasic rocks, as well as a variety of strong metamorphism of crustal rocks.The bottom of these basins as Guinea and Sierra Leone, occupied the flat plains, which are surrounded by abyssal hills.The greatest depth of these basins are respectively 5212 and 6040 meters.
Cameroonian fault zone
Wide Guinean lifting stretches in the north-east of the lava plateau, a vast and situated in the eastern part of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, near the island of St. Helena.Cameroonian fault zone is the most characteristic element of this uplift.It is associated with volcanic seamount Shirshov facilities, as well as the islands of Palanga, Principe, Sao Tome and Macias Nguema,null, Biyogo.Rift Valley stretches further within the continent of Africa.Cameroon, an active volcano, and several Central Sahrawi, among which there are also valid, confined to her.
Angola Basin
bottom of lying to the south-east and south of Guinea, raising the Angolan basin also blocked largely inclined foot trails the mainland, including vast alluvial cone of the Congo, an underwater canyon.Group seamount located in the southern corner of the Angolan basin.These mountains have a common base.The most significant of them - of Vyurst (its height is about 4 km).
Walvis Ridge
Walvis Ridge - a mountain blocky structure.It consists of 3 large blocks, which are separated by a saddle.Walvis Ridge is characterized by a flat top surface and steep slopes.Aligned apical surface is connected to a large (and possibly in the main) level with the accumulation of strata lime.
Cape Basin
Located south of the Walvis Ridge Cape Basin is characterized by the fact that here is developed primarily relief of abyssal hills.In addition, the depth of the Atlantic Ocean harbor are a lot of volcanic mountains.They are concentrated mainly in the southern part of the basin.Data Group of mountains separating the basin from Cape Agulhas Basin.Agulhas is seen primarily as part of the bed of the Indian Ocean.It is morphologically similar to the Cape Basin.
Now you know what the bottom relief of the Atlantic Ocean has at the moment.He is slowly changing, although significant changes are taking place very slowly.After all continents are drifting at a speed of only about 1-2 cm per year.Other processes that contribute to it, and is very slow.Therefore, the main features of the bottom topography of the Atlantic remain unchanged.
What explains the features of the relief of the Atlantic Ocean?
Why bottom relief just be what it is?Let's face it.Features that have the relief of the ocean floor, scientists are now able to explain the specific reasons.In particular, the Atlantic Ocean is believed to be formed as a result of the rift opened in the axial zone of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.All the features of the structure and topography of the ocean bottom due to the fact that the 4 main plates (Antarctic, African, Eurasian and American) are relatively moved.
history studies of the Atlantic began in ancient times.Meanwhile, its depth is not yet fully understood.It is possible that studies the history of the Atlantic Ocean will continue to new and exciting discoveries.
