{{Short description|Oceanic trough in the South Pacific Ocean}} The '''Cato Trough''' or '''Chesterfield Trough''' is an oceanic trough in the Coral Sea of the South Pacific Ocean. It separates the continental crust of Australia and Zealandia to within {{Convert|25|km|mi|abbr=on}} and has a depth of {{Convert|3600|m|ft|abbr=on}}.<ref name="SZ">{{cite web|url=https://www.geosociety.org/gsatoday/archive/27/3/article/GSATG321A.1.htm|title=Zealandia: Earth’s Hidden Continent|publisher=Geological Society of America|accessdate=2020-05-08}}</ref> The trough is underlain by oceanic crust, having formed as a result of seafloor spreading from about 63 to 50 million years ago.<ref name="SZ"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://eprints.qut.edu.au/114853/6/__qut.edu.au_Documents_StaffHome_staffgroupW%24_wu75_Documents_ePrints_114853abstract.pdf|title=Large Igneous Provinces, Continental Break-Up and Marginal Plateaus|publisher=Queensland University of Technology|accessdate=2020-05-08}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *[http://www.marineregions.org/gazetteer.php?p=details&id=34643 Marine Gazetteer Placedetails]

{{Coord|23|10|S|155|0|E|type:landmark|display=title}}

Category:Coral Sea Category:Oceanic trenches of the Pacific Ocean

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