Origin and structure of the New England Seamount Chain

Abstract

The New England Seamount Chain is located along a fracture zone formed by a discontinuity in sea-floor spreading pattern. This discontinuity resulted from either a simple transform fault which opened progressively along its length as it was formed, or the entire fault line opened at one time due to a later change in spreading direction. The opening of the fault may have been initiated during earliest Mesozoic and probably continued to the Cretaceous. Differences in rates and/or duration of spreading on either side of the fault may have caused the offset of a previous continuous basin and ridge system beneath the shelf.