Morphology of the two unnamed seamounts in the Arabian Basin and their probable tectonic implications

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 ridgelike 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 Reunion hotspot volcanism.