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Morphology of the Two Unnamed Seamounts in the Arabian Basin and their Probable Tectonic Implications


Affiliations
1 National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Vasco da Gama, Goa 403 804, India
2 School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206, India
 

Newly acquired high resolution multibeam bathymetry data collected from Eastern Arabian Sea show the presence of two distinct, isolated seamounts (~27 km apart) in the flat Arabian Basin, west of Laccadive– Chagos Ridge. The seamount S1 with a relief of 1980 m from the adjacent seafloor has a linear ridge-like shape with NNE–SSW trend and is associated with craters and knolls near its base. Seamount S2 with a relief of 1830 m is conical in shape with steep slopes. Seismic characteristics imply that these two seamounts are extrusive volcanic features covered by thick pile of sediments along the flanks. The evolutionary history of the Arabian Basin and the tectonic fabric of the study area suggest that emplacement of the identified seamounts might be due to the Réunion hotspot volcanism.

Keywords

Morphology, Multibeam Bathymetry, Réunion Hotspot Volcanism, Seamounts.
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  • Morphology of the Two Unnamed Seamounts in the Arabian Basin and their Probable Tectonic Implications

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Authors

C. M. Bijesh
National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Vasco da Gama, Goa 403 804, India
P. John Kurian
School of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Goa University, Taleigao Plateau, Goa 403 206, India

Abstract


Newly acquired high resolution multibeam bathymetry data collected from Eastern Arabian Sea show the presence of two distinct, isolated seamounts (~27 km apart) in the flat Arabian Basin, west of Laccadive– Chagos Ridge. The seamount S1 with a relief of 1980 m from the adjacent seafloor has a linear ridge-like shape with NNE–SSW trend and is associated with craters and knolls near its base. Seamount S2 with a relief of 1830 m is conical in shape with steep slopes. Seismic characteristics imply that these two seamounts are extrusive volcanic features covered by thick pile of sediments along the flanks. The evolutionary history of the Arabian Basin and the tectonic fabric of the study area suggest that emplacement of the identified seamounts might be due to the Réunion hotspot volcanism.

Keywords


Morphology, Multibeam Bathymetry, Réunion Hotspot Volcanism, Seamounts.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv118%2Fi7%2F1118-1123