Transform faults and large horizontal displacements of the ocean floor

Abstract

The evidence concerning the existence of transform
faults and the occurrence of sea-floor spreading is reviewed and discussed.
Available fault-plane solutions indicate that the direction of motion along
some oceanic fracture zones is opposite to that which would be expected
in case of transcurrent faults. The support for the sea-floor spreading hypothesis
comes mainly from magnetic investigations. The problem, however,
presents formidable dynamic and rheological aspects, and is far from being
completely solved.