Formation Of Iceland From The Ocean Floor

Helena tristan da cunha bouvet and gough which all rise from the mid atlantic ridge.

Formation of iceland from the ocean floor.

Its name derives from atlantikos atlas the sea beyond the atlas mountains one of the titans of greek mythology. Other articles where oceanic island is discussed. No matter what their height oceanic islands are also known as high islands continental and coral islands which may be hundreds of meters taller than high islands are called low islands. New rock is formed by magma at the mid ocean ridges and the ocean floor spreads out from this point.

The oceanic crust displays a pattern of magnetic lines parallel to the ocean ridges frozen in the basalt. Other islands of the atlantic ocean created by the volcanism of the mid atlantic ridge are the azores bermuda madeira the canary islands ascension st. The following features are shown at example depths to scale though each feature has a considerable range at which it may occur. Iceland lies on the divergent boundary between the eurasian plate and the north american plate it also lies above a hotspot the iceland plume the plume is believed to have caused the formation of iceland itself the island first appearing over the ocean surface about 16 to 18 million years ago.

The north atlantic and the south atlantic. This graphic shows several ocean floor features on a scale from 0 35 000 feet below sea level. Here in the mid atlantic ocean off the south coast of iceland volcanic rock and ash have risen from the ocean floor to form the island of surtsey new land on the face of the earth. Oceanic islands 4 also known as volcanic islands are formed by eruptions of volcanoes on the ocean floor.

The mid atlantic ridge is a submarine ridge located along the floor of the atlantic ocean that wraps around the globe for more than 65 000 km like the seam of a baseball. Iceland is the largest island on the ridge because of the additional volcanism caused by the hotspot under the country the iceland plume which is moving slowly across towards the northwest. Among purely oceanic islands i e those without any foundation of continental rock usually formed as the result of volcanic action are iceland the azores ascension st. 8 1963 and june 5 1968.

Continental shelf 300 feet continental slope 300 10 000 feet abyssal plain 10 000 feet abyssal hill 3 000 feet up from the abyssal plain seamount 6 000 feet. The island of surtsey rose above the ocean in a series of eruptions between nov. This loosely accumulated pile of ash could be washed away by wind and waves but lava flowing over the surface has provided a protective cap for the island. It is the longest and the most extensive chain of mountains on earth but being located underwater more than 90 of this mountain range remains hidden from view.

After the pacific ocean the atlantic ocean is the largest ocean on earth. The geology of iceland is unique and of particular interest to geologists.