<p>You probably realise this, but you're not seeing that directly from satellite photos. Google Earth (or the "satellite" view in Google Maps) shows direct imagery on land, but underwater it shows a hillshaded view of bathymetry. So you're looking at the shape of the seabed.</p>

<p>With that said, I think this is the nothernmost part of the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_Ridge" rel="noreferrer">Mid-Atlantic Ridge</a>, possibly the part known as the "Mohns Ridge". You'll see a similar line, coming and going, all the way from here down to the middle of the South Atlantic. There's a deep valley with mountains on either side. It's the boundary between two tectonic plates, where new seabed is slowly created as the Atlantic widens.</p>

<p>No, you should not be worried about it :-)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-22T23:08:33.587Z
That's amazing, thank you! I'll hold off on building the tsunami shelter then
Cobbles
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-22T21:42:56.497Z
2019-08-22T21:42:56.497Z
Semidiurnal Simon
<p>In the image below, taken from Google Maps satellite view, between Svalbard and Greenland there is what looks like a massive crevasse, chasm, crack, &amp;c. </p>

<p>What is it? Should I be worried?</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/gvG90.jpg" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/gvG90.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-23T07:22:44.183Z
Just out of couriosity: Wasn't this covered during your time at school? Basics of plate tectonics?
Erik
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-23T09:25:08.530Z
@Erik probably, but that knowledge went the way of all things
Cobbles
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-08-23T21:40:44.643Z
The part that goes north from Greenland across to Siberia is called the [Gakkel Ridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakkel_Ridge).
Spencer
<mapping><arctic>
What is the chasm in the Arctic on Google satellite map?
Cobbles
# What is the chasm in the Arctic on Google satellite map?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-08-22)

In the image below, taken from Google Maps satellite view, between Svalbard and Greenland there is what looks like a massive crevasse, chasm, crack, &c.

What is it? Should I be worried?

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/gvG90.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/gvG90.jpg)

**Tags:** mapping, arctic

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Just out of couriosity: Wasn't this covered during your time at school? Basics of plate tectonics?  
> **username_0**: @username_1 probably, but that knowledge went the way of all things  
> **username_2**: The part that goes north from Greenland across to Siberia is called the [Gakkel Ridge](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gakkel_Ridge).  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2019-08-22. Score: 10 | Accepted answer

You probably realise this, but you're not seeing that directly from satellite photos. Google Earth (or the "satellite" view in Google Maps) shows direct imagery on land, but underwater it shows a hillshaded view of bathymetry. So you're looking at the shape of the seabed.

With that said, I think this is the nothernmost part of the [Mid-Atlantic Ridge](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_Ridge), possibly the part known as the "Mohns Ridge". You'll see a similar line, coming and going, all the way from here down to the middle of the South Atlantic. There's a deep valley with mountains on either side. It's the boundary between two tectonic plates, where new seabed is slowly created as the Atlantic widens.

No, you should not be worried about it :-)

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: That's amazing, thank you! I'll hold off on building the tsunami shelter then  

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