Part 1
, The Mid-Ocean Ridge
• The MOR is a 60,000km long chain of mainly submarine volcanoes,
ridges, rifts, fault zones and hot springs which encompasses the
Earth.
• The average depth of the MOR is 2,500m, ranging from 1,800m
above sea level in Iceland, to 4,000m below sea level in the Cayman
Trough in the Caribbean.
• Every 50 to 500km, the MOR is offset by transform faults which divide
the MOR into many sections.
• MOR’s are the principal means of transferring of mass and energy
from the upper mantle to the surface by advection and partial
melting.