The Terceira Rift is a geological rift located amidst the Azores islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It runs between the Azores triple junction to the west and the Azores–Gibraltar transform fault to the southeast. It separates the Eurasian plate to the north from the African plate to the south. The Terceira Rift is named for Terceira Island through which it passes. It crosses Terceira Island as a prominent ESE–WNW fissure zone.
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In this Dossier
Terceira Rift in the context of Azores triple junction
39°26′N 29°50′W / 39.44°N 29.83°W
The Azores triple junction (ATJ) is a geologic triple junction where the boundaries of three tectonic plates intersect: the North American plate, the Eurasian plate and the African plate. This triple junction is located along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) amidst the Azores islands, nearly due west of the Strait of Gibraltar. It is classified as an R-R-R triple junction of the T type (for its shape), as it is an intersection of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge running north–south and the Terceira Rift which runs east-southeast.