During NZASRoF'07 some deep troughs to the west of the active line of arc volcanoes will be explored.

During NZASRoF'07 some deep troughs to the west of the active line of arc volcanoes will be explored (Ngatoro rifts, for example). These rifts are forming as the Pacific plate descends into the Kermadec Trench and “pulls” the crust to the east, thinning the ocean crust and opening deep tears, such as the Ngatoro Rift Basins. SeaBeam bathymetry provided by GNS. 50-meter grid-cell size. Image courtesy of New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007 Exploration, NOAA Vents Program, the Institute of Geological & Nuclear Sciences and NOAA-OE.

Related Links

New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007

New Zealand American Submarine Ring of Fire 2007: Mission Plan

NOAA Ocean Explorer Gallery