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Structural geology

To fault or not to fault

Nature Geoscience volume 3, pages 454–456 (2010)Cite this article

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Most of the oceanic crust has a simple layered structure. The discovery that slow-spreading ridges exhibit a comparatively complex crustal structure and some of the largest extensional faults on Earth is leading to the recognition of a new mode of seafloor spreading.

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Figure 1: A three-dimensional view of the Kane segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 23° N.

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Acknowledgements

Citations relating to the Chapman conference indicate those speakers who were invited to give overview talks. The ideas discussed here therefore represent a summary of ideas from various workers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Michael Cheadle is in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82071-3006, USA. Cheadle@uwyo.edu,

    Michael Cheadle

  2. Craig Grimes is in the Department of Geosciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, Mississippi 39762-5448, USA.,

    Craig Grimes

Authors
  1. Michael Cheadle
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  2. Craig Grimes
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Cheadle, M., Grimes, C. To fault or not to fault. Nature Geosci 3, 454–456 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo910

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