Geomorphology of seamounts of the Indian Ocean

Abstract

Seamounts are found on all large morphostructures in the Indian Ocean, mostly in the west, along mid-ocean ridges and fault zones. Unlike the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, tectonic and tectonic-volcanic seamounts prevail in the Indian Ocean, they are formed within rift zones as well as in areas of crust-breaking and crust blocks displacements. The volcanic seamounts concentrate principally within deep-sea basins and on longitudinal ridges. Highest seamounts appear as islands and form systems of well-known archipelagoes of the Indian Ocean. The morphology of many seamounts in the Indian Ocean is affected by their tectonic and tectonic-volcanic genesis; seamounts of block type are typical in particular of both periphery and near micro-continents in the Central part of the ocean. Results of geomorphological studies and deep-sea drilling data suggest a possibility of new seamounts to be found.