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Volcanic growth faults and the origin of Pacific abyssal hills

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Abstract

The topographic features known as abyssal hills characterize >30% of the ocean floor, and yet their origin has been the subject of vigorous debate for over 40 years. Submersible-based investigations show that Pacific abyssal hills are created on the flanks of the East Pacific Rise as horsts and grabens which lengthen with time. Hills are bounded on one side by ridge-facing scarps produced by normal faulting, and on the other by more gentle slopes produced by volcanic growth faulting.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. P. J. Fox

    Present address: Ocean Drilling Program, Texas A & M University, College Station, Texas, 77845, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology and Marine Science Institute, University of California, Santa Barbara, California, 93106, USA

    Ken C. Macdonald & Russ T. Alexander

  2. Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Narragansett, Rhode Island, 02882, USA

    P. J. Fox & Robert Pockalny

  3. Université de Bretagne Occidentale, 29287, Brest Cedex, France

    Pascal Gente

Authors
  1. Ken C. Macdonald
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  2. P. J. Fox
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  3. Russ T. Alexander
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  4. Robert Pockalny
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  5. Pascal Gente
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Macdonald, K., Fox, P., Alexander, R. et al. Volcanic growth faults and the origin of Pacific abyssal hills. Nature 380, 125–129 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1038/380125a0

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