The Floors of the Ocean: 1. The North Atlantic: Text to accompany the physiographic diagram of the North AtlanticHeezen, Bruce C.
Science
The Floors of the Ocean: 1. The North Atlantic: Text to accompany the physiographic diagram of the North Atlantic
Heezen, Bruce C.
Ocean bottom
Abyssal hills are found along the seaward margin of most abyssal plains
and probably occur in profusion in basins isolated from adjacent land
areas by ridges, rises, or trenches. In the North Atlantic the abyssal
hills form two strips parallel to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge for virtually
its entire length. The Bermuda Rise is bordered on the southeast by
abyssal hills which join with the strips adjoining the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge (Fig. 25). Southeast of the Bermuda Rise the abyssal plain is
absent, and consequently the Western Atlantic Abyssal-Hills Province
exceeds 500 miles in width.
[Illustration: FIGURE 27.--_Eight profiles, Eastern Atlantic Abyssal
Hills Province_
Vertical exaggeration 40:1; positions shown on Figure 25.]
In the North Atlantic the axes of maximum depth on the eastern and on
the western sides of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge lie in the abyssal-hills
province. This pattern probably continues through the South Atlantic,
Indian Ocean, and South Pacific oceans. Individual abyssal hills
are identical to the smaller hills which rise from the steps of the
Mid-Atlantic Ridge and are probably of the same origin. The abyssal
hills and the Lower Step of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge can be distinguished
topographically only by the contrast in level.
_Regional description._--The abyssal hills within the area of the
physiographic diagram are illustrated by profiles WH-1-11 and EH-1-8
reproduced in Figures 26 and 27 respectively.
WESTERN ATLANTIC: The abyssal-hills province ranges from a few miles
to more than 125 miles in width from the north edge of the map to the
Southeast Newfoundland Ridge. Along profile WH-1 the province consists
of about a dozen hills 3-4 miles wide and 50-100 fathoms high, while
in WH-2 the hills are 4-10 miles in width, and some exceed 200 fathoms
in height. The abyssal-hills province appears to pinch out at the
Southeast Newfoundland Ridge. Southwest of the Southeast Newfoundland
Ridge the abyssal hills form a belt 60-120 miles wide which skirts
along the north edge of Corner Rise. In this area, as illustrated by
WH-3, -4, and -5, the largest abyssal hills nowhere exceed 250 fathoms
in height. The individual hills range from 3 to 12 miles wide; maximum
depths between individual hills frequently exceed the depth of the
adjacent abyssal plain by 50-100 fathoms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account