This means the rocks immediately adjacent to the ridge summit are the youngest, with the age of the seafloor increasing symmetrically away from the center. As magma rises from the mantle to fill this gap, it cools and solidifies, forming new oceanic crust.
Determining the Exact Age of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
16 to 20 million years old The only part rising significantly above sea level due to a hotspot. 60 to 80 million years old Mature section with deep transform faults and older crust.
Romanche Trench Area Approx. Therefore, when asking how old the ridge is, the answer is tied to the opening of the Atlantic.
H3 Exact Age of the Mid Atlantic Ridge and Its Oceanic Crust
Because of this cycle of creation and destruction, the oldest rocks on the Atlantic seafloor are found at the edges of the continents, not in the middle. 120 to 140 million years old Some of the oldest crust on this ridge, nearing the limits of current dating.
More About How old is the mid atlantic ridge
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