Galápagos Transform Fault system
E541533
The Galápagos Transform Fault system is a series of major strike-slip faults in the eastern Pacific that offset and segment the Galápagos Spreading Center, influencing regional plate motions and seafloor morphology.
Statements (46)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
plate boundary structure
ⓘ
transform fault system ⓘ |
| ageConstraint | Cenozoic ⓘ |
| associatedWith |
Cocos Plate
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Galápagos Spreading Center NERFINISHED ⓘ Nazca Plate NERFINISHED ⓘ Pacific Plate NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| characterizedBy |
strike-slip earthquakes
ⓘ
transform earthquake focal mechanisms ⓘ |
| controls | distribution of hydrothermal vent fields along Galápagos Spreading Center ⓘ |
| discoveredBy | marine geophysical surveys ⓘ |
| evidenceFrom |
bathymetric data
ⓘ
earthquake epicenter distributions ⓘ seismic reflection profiles ⓘ |
| faultType | strike-slip fault ⓘ |
| forms | transform offsets between spreading segments ⓘ |
| function | accommodates lateral offset between ridge segments ⓘ |
| geodynamicSignificance |
constrains plate motion models in eastern Pacific
ⓘ
records relative motion of Nazca and Cocos plates ⓘ |
| geologicalProcess |
lithospheric deformation
ⓘ
seafloor spreading segmentation ⓘ |
| influences |
magmatic segmentation of Galápagos Spreading Center
ⓘ
regional plate motions ⓘ seafloor morphology ⓘ |
| kinematics | right-lateral strike-slip motion on many segments ⓘ |
| locatedIn | eastern Pacific Ocean NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| mappedBy |
marine magnetic anomalies
ⓘ
multibeam bathymetry ⓘ |
| morphology |
fracture zones
ⓘ
linear fault valleys ⓘ offset ridge axes ⓘ |
| motionType | horizontal shear ⓘ |
| near | Galápagos Islands NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| offsets | Galápagos Spreading Center NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| orientation | approximately east–west trending segments ⓘ |
| partOf |
East Pacific tectonic system
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Nazca–Cocos plate boundary NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| relatedTo |
Galápagos microplate
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
mid-ocean ridge transform faults ⓘ |
| researchField |
marine geology
ⓘ
plate tectonics ⓘ seismology ⓘ |
| segments | Galápagos Spreading Center NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| tectonicRole |
accommodates differential spreading rates
ⓘ
links offset ridge segments ⓘ |
| tectonicSetting | divergent plate boundary region ⓘ |
Referenced by (1)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.