Bottom topography of the Atlantic ocean UPSC |Oceanography | Physical Geography

About the Atlantic Ocean:

• The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean after the Pacific Ocean and it is approx 50 % of the Pacific area. It is named after the Atlas mountain of Africa( Morocco ).
• North America and Europe, and South America and Africa were united in the geological past. Wegener also proofed it.
• Due to a tectonic rift around 200 million years ago and Atlantic ocean is created between them.
• At present, North America is moving-away in the northwestern direction and Europe is moving-away in the southeast direction.
• At present, the Atlantic Ocean is spreading at a rate of approx 4cm per year.

Bottom Topography of the Atlantic ocean:

Bottom topography means the physical characteristics of the ocean floor. The bottom of the ocean floor is not plain; it is full of many relief features. 

The following image gives us the information of major bottom topography of the Atlantic ocean:

The following are the main physical characteristics of the bottom of the Atlantic ocean:

Mid-Atlantic Ridge:

• The mid-Atlantic ridge is a chain of mountains that has a volcanic origin. It lies in the middle of the Atlantic ocean starting from the Norwegian basin in the north to approx 58 degrees south latitude.
• Approximately length of the mid-Atlantic ridge is 1600 km.

Seamounts and islands:

The following are important seamounts and islands of the Atlantic ocean:

• Fico Islands of Azores
• Cape Verde Islands
• Canary Islands
• Newfoundland

Trenches:

The following are major trenches of the Atlantic ocean:

• Cayman Trench
• Puerto Rico Trench
• South Sandwich

Continental Shelf:

• The continental shelf of the Atlantic Ocean is wider in the southern and northern portions of the Atlantic Ocean. It is less wide in the central part of the Atlantic ocean.

Coral Island:

• Bermuda islands of the Atlantic ocean are made up of coral reefs.

Abyssal plain:

• The abyssal plain of the Atlantic Ocean is wider in the southern part between Argentina and South Africa than in the northern part.
• The abyssal plain in the Central Part of the Atlantic Ocean is narrow.

You may like also:

• Bottom topography of the Indian Ocean
• Configuration of Ocean floor
• Bottom topography of the Pacific Ocean
• Bottom topography of the Atlantic Ocean 
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