Unit 4: Indian Ocean Overview

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Study Notes

The Indian Ocean's bottom topography is dynamic due to interactions of tectonic plates (Indo-Australian, African, Eurasian, and Antarctic).
It's a major maritime trade route connecting Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Europe.
The dynamic geology and diverse marine life make it a significant area for research.

Third largest ocean, covering about 27 million square miles (70 million square kilometers).
Surrounded by Africa to the west, Asia to the north, Australia to the east, and southern Indian Ocean islands to the south.
The only ocean named after a country (India).
Diverse coastlines, including arid deserts, tropical rainforests, savannas, and urban areas.
Monsoon winds significantly influence the climate and weather, especially the Southwest Monsoon bringing heavy summer rains to the Indian subcontinent.
Rich marine ecosystem with coral reefs, seagrass beds, and various marine species (whales, dolphins, sharks, colorful reef fish).

Complex bottom topography including deep ocean basins, mid-ocean ridges, oceanic trenches, and seamounts.
Mid-Indian Ridge is a prominent mid-ocean ridge running north-south through the central Indian Ocean.
This ridge represents a divergent boundary between the African and Indo-Australian Plates.
Several deep ocean basins, like Arabian, Somali, Mozambique, and Central Indian Basins, are characterized by their relatively flat abyssal seafloors with depths exceeding 4,000 meters (13,000 feet).
Oceanic trenches, such as the Sunda Trench (Java Trench), are located in subduction zones where tectonic plates collide and one descends beneath the other.

Oceanic trenches in the Indian Ocean, including the Sunda Trench, mark subduction zones.
Island chains and archipelagos (Maldives, Seychelles, and Chagos Archipelago) are often located on underwater ridges or plateaus.
Continental shelves are submerged extensions of continents, important for fisheries and oil/gas exploration.