Relationship of the Central Indian Ridge segmentation with the evolution of the Rodrigues Triple Junction for the past 8 Myr

Abstract

Located near 25°33′S, 70°00′E, the Rodrigues Triple Junction is the joining point of the intermediate‐spreading Southeast Indian and Central Indian Ridges with the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge. Bathymetric data and magnetic anomalies are used to analyze the relationship between the evolution of the Central Indian Ridge segmentation and the evolution of the Rodrigues Triple Junction for the past 8 Myr. The Central Indian Ridge domain exhibits a complex morphotectonic pattern dominated by ridge‐normal and oblique bathymetric lows interpreted as the off‐axis traces of axial discontinuities. The short‐lived nontransform discontinuities as well as the segments that lengthen or shorten along the ridge axis reveal that the Central Indian Ridge segmentation is unstable near the Rodrigues Triple Junction. The combined study of the Central Indian Ridge and Southeast Indian Ridge domains shows that the triple junction evolves between two modes: a continuous mode where the Central Indian Ridge and Southeast Indian Ridge axes are joined and a discontinuous mode where the two ridge axes are offset. Owing to spreading asymmetry, and differences in axis direction or in lengthening rates of the Central Indian and Southeast Indian ridges, the continuous mode is unstable and evolves rapidly (<2 Myr) into a discontinuous mode. This last one is more stable and can evolve into a continuous mode only through the formation of a new Central Indian Ridge segment, which takes place facing the northern Southeast Indian Ridge segment. The evolution of the Rodrigues Triple Junction configuration and the evolution of the Central Indian Ridge segmentation are thus closely related.