Study Reveals Tectonic Movements, Not Erosion, Formed Massive Ocean Canyon
A recent study has unveiled that the massive underwater canyon system known as the King's Trough Complex in the North Atlantic was formed by tectonic movements rather than erosion. Located about 1,000 kilometers west of Portugal, this trench system stretches over 500 kilometers and was previously thought to have been shaped by erosive forces similar to those that form land-based canyons. However, the study, published in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, reveals that the canyon was created through a 'zipper effect' caused by the slow separation of the European and African tectonic plates over 24 million years. This process involved the plates being pulled apart, leading to the formation of deep chasms in the ocean floor. The research highlights the role of mantle plumes, which are columns of superheated material from deep within the Earth, in weakening the crust and facilitating the tectonic shifts. 
