The article explains the nature of faulting aspects. The author states that any feature may be transformed into a mountain or a ridge. During the transformation process, the horizontal shear changes into an expanding tensional motion across the ridge or rift with a change in seismicity at the point of transformation (Tuzo, 48). The junction where the changes occur is known as the transform. Most types of half shears involve mountain ridges since the mountains are asymmetrical, and the ridges have bilateral symmetry. Mountains and mountain systems include island arc that may be convex or concave depending on the first face reached when proceeding to the direction of the relative motion (Lillie 46).
The article explains that a transform fault exists where the displacement suddenly halts or changes form and direction and is not a true transcurrent fault. A horizontal shear fault terminates abruptly at both ends. However, it indicates significant displacements considered being a pair of half shear joined end to end. The term transform fault is proposed because the members are described according to the features they connect, such as the dextral transform and the ridge-convex arc type. The distinction is that ridges expand to produce new crust that leaves residual inactive traces in the topography of their original positions. The oceanic crust moves down under island arcs to absorb old crusts to avoid any traces of past positions causing the convex sides to advance. This explains the difference that exists between the two types of faults. For instance, transform faults exist when there is a crustal displacement to provide a powerful argument in favor of continental drift and to guide the nature of displacement involved.
In the Equatorial Atlantic fracture zones, article explains that the faults or lines of weakness split into two parts and a tension structure may trail and which may be affected by the existing faults. The explanation suggests that the middle Atlantic ridge may be an example of this kind. Hence, the apparent offsets on the fault ridges may be inherited from the shape of the break that initially formed the African and American coats. Fracture zones traced across the Atlantic belongs to the postulated type and the intersection pint refers to the conjugate point that may be in existence before rifting, such as, old faults in Pennsylvania and the offset of the Atlantic coast.
Another class of fault in the Indian Ocean provides a possible explanation of the termination of the Carlsberg ridge. It states that if the Indian Ocean and the Arabian Gulf opened during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic period by the northward motion of India, this might have led t the generation of a new ocean floor by spreading of the Carlsberg ridge. This ends in a transcurrent fault off the East African coast. In addition, the many offsets in the Gulf of Eden are an example of transform fault adjusting a rift to the shape of the adjacent costs.
Finally, the article describes possible relationships between active faults of the west coast of North America. The tendency of mid-ocean ridges to be offset parallel to adjacent costs is evident in the termination of the East Pacific ridge. The fracture zones that cross the East Pacific ridge are similar because their seismicity are confined to the offset parts between ridges. Thus, the article provides an understanding of faulting aspects known to be anomalous according to traditional concepts of transcurrent faults that could be explained through the definition of a new class of transform faults of which there are many varieties (Lillie 56).
Works Cited
Lillie, J., Robert. Whole Earth Geophysics: An Introductory Textbook for Geologists and Geophysicists. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. 1999.
Tuzo, J., Wilson. “A New Class of Faults and their Bearing on Continental Drift”. Nature: McMillan Journals Ltd. 207. (1965): 343-347. Print.