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Home Earth Sciences Geology Saint Peter and Saint Paul Rocks

Saint Peterand Saint Paul Rocks

A geological mystery.

This describes the remarkable and isolated Saint Peter and Saint Paul Rocks. These

lie far from land in the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean.

Published by

NickFord

July 21, 2009,

Category: Geology

When the Air France AF-447 crashed into the Atlantic on 1st June with the loss of all

passengers and crew it set me thinking. This loss must have occured within 1000 miles or

so of extraordinary archipelago of Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

I first read about these rocks in Rachel

Carsons excellent book The Seas Around

Us. Rachel Carson comments that the

entire cluster of islets is no more that a

quarter of a mile across. At their higher

point the rocks rise 59ft (18m) from the

sea. The largest rock is vegetated

with moss and grass. The other rocks are

almost barren, only algae and fungi that

can tolerate the salt spray. The rocks are

inhabited by seabirds. crabs, insects and

spiders. There is no permanent fresh

water.

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Rachel Carson observes that the rock slopes drop off at so sheer an angle that the water is

more than half a mile deep within a few feet of the shore.

Image via Wikipedia

The Seas Around Us was first published in

1950, Since then earth scientists have

learnt a great deal about the rocks.

Geologists know that the rocks are

composed of dark green rock known

as peroditites. These are very ancient

rocks. Radio carbon dating indicates that

they are older than the 4.6 billion year age of the earths crust. Peroditites are formed many

miles below the ocean crust in the mantle. This archipelago of the Rocks of St Peter and

St Paul is is the only place in the world where the abyssal mantle is exposed on the

surface. It is the surface manifestation of a gigantic tear in the oceanic crust.

I find this extraordinary. Rocks older than the sea floor have formed a seamount over 2

miles high.

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Tags:Atlantic Ocean, geography, Geology,

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tectonics, Rachel Carson, rocks, science, travel

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5 Responses to Saint Peter and Saint Paul Rocks

R J Evans Says...On July 22, 2009 at 4:53 pm

Cool article not a place I will book for my next holiday but good to

know its there!

NickFord Says...On July 23, 2009 at 11:58 am

Thanks for your complement. I am intrigued by this place though it

doesnt get much publicity.

I think these are the oldest exposed rocks in the world even thoughthe text books say the oldest are in Canada or Australia. I also think

that the mechanism behind their formation has big implications for

plate tectonics..

I havent got space to explain this here. Maybe, Ill do another article.

Phill Senters Says...On August 16, 2009 at 7:53 pm

This is interesting. Id like to read more of your articles like you

mentioned above.

Paul Says...On December 20, 2009 at 3:42 am

o they are not the oldest known rocks in the world, they are relatively

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young, being part of the Mid Atlantic ridge system.

They are exposures of mantle, frozen, from 6 kilometers or so ,

beneath the ocean floor. The only other place this happens is at

Macquarie Island, in the sub-Antarctic

Signed, a geologist researching Macquarie Island

NickFord Says...On December 28, 2009 at 5:15 am

Paul, thanks for the clairification.

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