WEBVTT 1 00:00:08.043 --> 00:00:12.783 Where we're diving now, we're approximately 150 kilometers 2 00:00:12.783 --> 00:00:18.183 west of Horta in the Azores islands. For the last few 3 00:00:18.183 --> 00:00:23.063 weeks, we've been diving on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Right now 4 00:00:23.063 --> 00:00:25.943 we're getting towards a really unique area which is an area 5 00:00:25.943 --> 00:00:28.783 where three of these mid-ocean ridges intersect in what we 6 00:00:28.783 --> 00:00:32.543 call a ridge-ridge-ridge triple junction and this separates the 7 00:00:32.543 --> 00:00:35.743 North American Plate from the Eurasian Plate but also the 8 00:00:35.743 --> 00:00:42.263 African Plate. We can estimate the age of the crust that we're 9 00:00:42.263 --> 00:00:45.223 on right now, this oceanic crust that's exposed in these 10 00:00:45.223 --> 00:00:47.863 normal faults by looking at the spreading rate of the Mid- 11 00:00:47.863 --> 00:00:51.143 Atlantic Ridge, which is about two to four centimeters per year, and 12 00:00:51.143 --> 00:00:54.223 the distance from the ridge and so we're on a crust that's 13 00:00:54.223 --> 00:00:59.663 maybe one to two million years old. Spreading on the Mid- 14 00:00:59.663 --> 00:01:02.823 Atlantic Ridge started about 200 million years ago and we've 15 00:01:02.823 --> 00:01:05.743 had the opportunity to explore some of its youngest features, 16 00:01:05.743 --> 00:01:08.663 including these heavily exposed pillow basalts that you see 17 00:01:08.663 --> 00:01:11.623 in this normal fall. 18 00:01:12.123 --> 00:01:15.183 We've had the unique opportunity to explore the 19 00:01:15.183 --> 00:01:18.543 processes that shape our planet and impact the lives of those 20 00:01:18.543 --> 00:01:21.903 living in geologically active areas, including the people of 21 00:01:21.903 --> 00:01:24.543 the Azores.