Abstract

Magnetic profiles across the South Atlantic Ocean from the Rio Grande rise and Argentine basin to the southwest coast of Africa and between 25° and 50°S are presented. Anomalies have been correlated from profile to profile, and the resulting magnetic pattern is parallel to and symmetric about the axis of the mid-Atlantic ridge. The observed magnetic pattern in the South Atlantic Ocean is very similar to the pattern observed across the East Pacific rise in the Pacific Ocean. The results have been interpreted as supporting ocean floor spreading and the hypothesis of Vine and Matthews for the origin of the anomalous field. Possible fracture zones, the Rio Grande rise, and the Walvis ridge are discussed.

Keywords

GeologyRidgeMagnetic anomalyOceanographyMid-Atlantic RidgeOceanic basinSeabedPacific oceanThermohaline circulationClimatologyStructural basinPaleontology

Related Publications

Publication Info

Year
1968
Type
article
Volume
73
Issue
6
Pages
2087-2100
Citations
199
Access
Closed

External Links

View on DOI.org

Social Impact

Altmetric
PlumX Metrics

Social media, news, blog, policy document mentions

Citation Metrics

199
OpenAlex

Cite This

G. O. Dickson, Walter C. Pitman, J. R. Heirtzler (1968). Magnetic anomalies in the South Atlantic and ocean floor spreading. Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres , 73 (6) , 2087-2100. https://doi.org/10.1029/jb073i006p02087

Identifiers

DOI
10.1029/jb073i006p02087