Structural Map of the Atlantic Ocean

The main, structural map represents the ocean and the surrounding continents with their simplified structural features. In the oceanic domain, the following elements are represented:

• Age of the oceanic crust, by epochs
• Positions of standard magnetic anomalies (or 'chrons'), where they have been measured or interpreted
• Active and fossil oceanic spreading axes
• Transform faults and fracture zones
• 'Abnormal' submarine relief and subduction zones
• Sequences of oceanic reflectors sloping towards the ocean (SDRs)
• Epicenters of earthquakes and depths of foci
• Hotspots
• Sites of deep-sea drilling (DSDP, IPOD, ODP, IODP) where the substratum or transitional crust has been reached
• Thickness of sediments, isopachs being drawn on the oceanic crust or on thinned continental crust sectors
• Oceanic crustal deformation zones
• Representation of continental geology elements related to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean

The structural map is accompanied by a Geodynamic Sketch and a Physiographic Map. These two additional documents show the arrangement of the lithospheric plates covering or surrounding the Atlantic domain, the morphology of the whole, as well as the toponymy of a number of underwater structures mentioned in the text.