Mid-Atlantic Ridge

American  

[mid-at-lan-tik, mid-at-lan-] / ˈmɪd ætˈlæn tɪk, ˌmɪd ætˈlæn- /

noun

1. a north-south suboceanic ridge in the Atlantic Ocean from Iceland to Antarctica on whose crest are several groups of islands; shown by plate tectonics to be the axis along which North America has split away from Eurasia, and along which South America has split away from Africa.

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Example Sentences

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Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Iceland sits over what's known as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the boundary between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates - two of the largest on the planet.

From BBC ● Jan. 14, 2024

It sits atop the continually spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where the North American plate to the west and the Eurasian plate to the east are gradually pulling apart.

From National Geographic ● Jul. 24, 2023

Scientists diving in submersibles have seen this process up close at the volcanic Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates are tugged apart and mantle rocks rise up to create fresh slabs of ocean crust.

From Science Magazine ● Feb. 15, 2023

The islands sit atop the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, where tectonic plates from North America, Eurasia and Africa diverge, allowing magma to rise.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 9, 2022

Similar openings on the sea floor were first spotted 18 years ago along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2022