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The Gibbs Fracture Zone: A double fracture zone at 52°30′N in the Atlantic Ocean

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Abstract

A bathymetric survey of the offset in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge Crest at approximately 53°N revealed an east-west offset of 190 nautical miles and north-south offset of 75 nautical miles. The offset is filled with two valleys separated by a sill below 1900 fm. The valley strend approximately 95° east of north and are inconsistent with spreading poles calculated for the north Atlantic. Their trends have been used by earlier authors to calculate poles of rotation. It is proposed to name the offset The Gibbs Fracture Zone after the ship that made the survey.

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Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Contribution No. 2443.

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Fleming, H.S., Cherkis, N.Z. & Heirtzler, J.R. The Gibbs Fracture Zone: A double fracture zone at 52°30′N in the Atlantic Ocean. Mar Geophys Res 1, 37–45 (1970). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00310008

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