Plate tectonics without jerking: Detailed recordings of earthquakes on ultraslow mid-ocean ridges

The earthquake distribution on ultra-slow mid-ocean ridges differs fundamentally from other spreading zones. Water circulating at a depth of up to 15 kilometers leads to the formation of rock that resembles soft soap. This is how the continental plates on ultra-slow mid-ocean ridges may move without jerking, while the same process in other regions leads to many minor earthquakes, according to geophysicists.

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