Two heat flow profiles across the Atlantic Ocean

Measurements of the terrestrial heat flux at 76 localities along 2 profiles across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge at 19.5°N and 8.5°S latitude are presented. Two high heat-flow values were measured 800 to 1000 km east of the ridge crest at 8.5°S, but no high values were found at the ridge crest at this latitude. Detailed surveys and heat-flow measurements near the ridge crests on both profiles indicate that bottom topography influences the heat-flow variability. The average heat flow on both profiles, about 1.4 to 1.5 × 10⁻⁶ cal/cm² sec, is close to the average for other ocean basins, in contrast to previous studies indicating lower heat flow for the Atlantic.