Charlie–Gibbs fracture zone

It is the most prominent interruption of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between the Azores and Iceland, with the longest faults in the North Atlantic, and is ecologically an important biosystems boundary.

The transform fault of the southern fracture zone displaces the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, coming from the Azores triple junction, to the west over a distance of 120 km (75 mi).

[3]: 2  At the eastern termination off shore of Newfoundland there is an igneous province found within the otherwise nonvolcanic rifted margin in the region of transition between oceanic and continental crust.

[4]: 1135, 1143 In 1963 the existence of a transform fault near latitude 53N was first postulated on the basis of earthquake epicenter data by Bruce Heezen and Maurice Ewing.

Recent studies have been carried out by the RV Akademik Nikolaj Strakhov,[2]: 191  and the Tectonic Ocean Spreading at the Charlie–Gibbs fracture zone (TOSCA) survey by a remote vehicle.

[3]: 2  Coral species separate from reefs including Desmophyllum, Solenosmilia variabilis and Madrepora oculata have been described.

[3]: 6  The highest seafloor biodiversity have been reported at depths of 1.5–2.2 km (0.93–1.37 mi) in areas of bedrock and steeper slopes.