“What are the processes that control the formation and evolution of ocean basins?”
Tectonic processes control the regional shape of the ocean basins and the roughness of the seafloor, exerting influence on the circulation of the overlying water column and the distribution of ecosystems that inhabit it. Dissipating heat from tectonic plates and magma bodies drives the hydrothermal circulation that alters seawater composition and provides nutrients for deep ecosystems.
