Why there is no Mid Oceanic Ridge in Pacific Ocean?

Two well-studied mid-ocean ridges within the global system are the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and the East Pacific Rise. Due to the fast spreading rates, there is no rift valley in the Pacific, just a smooth volcanic summit with a crack along the crest that is much smaller than the Atlantic rift valley.

Why does the mid-ocean ridge in the Pacific Ocean have a different shape and size than the one in the Atlantic ocean?

Ridge Characteristics. Mid-ocean ridges have different shapes (morphology) depending on how fast they are spreading, how active they are magmatically and volcanically, and how much tectonic stretching and faulting is taking place.

Why is there a mountain range in the middle of the Atlantic ocean?

This bulge is thought to be caused by upward convective forces in the asthenosphere pushing the oceanic crust and lithosphere. This divergent boundary first formed in the Triassic period, when a series of three-armed grabens coalesced on the supercontinent Pangaea to form the ridge.

Is the Pacific plate a mid-ocean ridge?

The East Pacific Rise is a mid-oceanic ridge, a divergent tectonic plate boundary located along the floor of the Pacific Ocean. It separates the Pacific Plate to the west from (north to south) the North American Plate, the Rivera Plate, the Cocos Plate, the Nazca Plate, and the Antarctic Plate.

What is the function of the Mid Oceanic ridge?

Mid-ocean ridges are the longest, largest and most voluminous magmatic environment on Earth. Ridges are the site of new lithospheric and crustal production that may be subsequently subducted into the mantle and recycled, or involved in magma-producing dehydration reactions that slowly build up continental crust (Fig.

Why are mid-ocean ridges elevated?

At the ridge, new crust forms by igneous intrusion and extrusion. Since hot rocks are in a more expanded state and then contract as they cool (as they spread away from the ridge), the midocean ridges stand up high above the surrounding seafloor. The seafloor depth increases with distance away from the midocean ridges.

What makes up the mid-ocean ridge?

A mid-ocean ridge or mid-oceanic ridge is an underwater mountain range, formed by plate tectonics. This uplifting of the ocean floor occurs when convection currents rise in the mantle beneath the oceanic crust and create magma where two tectonic plates meet at a divergent boundary.

Is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge oceanic or continental?

Mid-Atlantic Ridge, submarine ridge lying along the north-south axis of the Atlantic Ocean; it occupies the central part of the basin between a series of flat abyssal plains that continue to the margins of the continental coasts.

Is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge divergent?

Divergent boundaries. Perhaps the best known of the divergent boundaries is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. This submerged mountain range, which extends from the Arctic Ocean to beyond the southern tip of Africa, is but one segment of the global mid-ocean ridge system that encircles the Earth.

Is Pacific Ocean spreading?

Seafloor-spreading rates are much more rapid in the Pacific Ocean than in the Atlantic and Indian oceans. At spreading rates of about 15 cm (6 inches) per year, the entire crust beneath the Pacific Ocean (about 15,000 km [9,300 miles] wide) could be produced in 100 million years.

What type of tectonic plate is the Pacific Plate?

oceanic tectonic plate
The Pacific Plate is an oceanic tectonic plate that lies beneath the Pacific Ocean. At 103 million km2 (40 million sq mi), it is the largest tectonic plate….

Pacific Plate
Type	Major
Approximate area	103,300,000 km2 (39,900,000 sq mi)
Movement1	north-west
Speed1	56–102 mm (2.2–4.0 in)/year