Question.
With a suitable sketch, elaborate the bottom topography of the Indian Ocean.
( UPSC 2024 Geography Optional )
Answer.
The Indian Ocean is the third-largest ocean after the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Its bottom topography is complex, shaped by tectonic activity, sediment deposition, mid-oceanic ridges, fracture zones, basins, and trenches.
Major Features of Indian Ocean Bottom Topography:
1. Mid-Oceanic Ridge System
The Central Indian Ridge (CIR) runs in a north-south direction, dividing the ocean into eastern and western basins.
The northern extension is known as the Carlsberg Ridge.
2. Oceanic Basins
Arabian Basin (west of the CIR, near the Arabian Peninsula).
Bay of Bengal Basin (east, with thick sediments from Himalayan rivers).
Central Indian Basin (between CIR and Chagos-Laccadive Ridge).
Perth Basin (off Western Australia).
3. Abyssal Plains
Found on both sides of mid-oceanic ridges.
Covered with pelagic sediments and fine-grained clays.
4. Submarine Ridges
Chagos-Laccadive Ridge: Extends from the Lakshadweep islands to the Chagos Archipelago.
Seychelles-Mauritius Ridge: Found in the southwest, associated with micro-continental fragments.
5. Submarine Trenches
Sunda Trench (also called Java Trench): Located near the Indonesian archipelago; associated with subduction zones.
Makran Trench: Along the Makran coast of Pakistan and Iran.
6. Islands and Plateaus
Mascarene Plateau: Between Seychelles and Mauritius, includes volcanic islands.
Maldives and Lakshadweep Islands: Coral atolls and submerged banks.
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