Patterns of relative positioning of oceanic rifts and transform faults

The general patterns of relative arrangement of rift zones and transform faults in the ocean were studied. The geological-geophysical materials for the crests of mid-oceanic ridges fall into three categories: (1) data on structure of oceanic rift zones and transform faults; (2) bathymetric and geophysical maps for regions explored in detail; (3) bathymetric maps at 1:2,000,000 and 1:5,000,000. These materials were used in determining the parameters of 360 active transform faults. The quantitative characteristics of each of these faults were catalogued. Distance between transform faults was determined, lengths of active parts of these faults were ascertained, the angular relationships between rift zones and transform faults were calculated. It is concluded that the distribution of the quantitative characteristics of the geometry of the axis of spreading of plates in the ocean is clearly dependent on the spreading rate. The thermal regime of the lithosphere exerts a decisive influence on the geometry of the axis of spreading of plates.