GEOLOGY OF A SUBMARINE HYDROTHERMAL FIELD, MID-ATLANTIC RIDGE, 26-DEGREES-N LATITUDE

A comparison of structural and lithologic features observed from two stereo-photographic traverses of the Trans-Atlantic Geo- traverse (TAG) hydrothermal field, 26oN, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, with features of the French-American Mid-Ocean Undersea Study (Famous) hydrothermal site and the Mounds hydrothermal field of the Galapagos spreading center shows that all three areas have hydrothermal deposits with restricted and patchy lateral extent and are associated with closely spaced normal faults commonly of small displacement. This paper reports the results of a detailed study of bottom photographs taken within the hydrothermal field on the eastern wall of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rift valley at 26oN.-Authors