GRAVITY AND MAGNETIC MODELING IN THE NEAR-EQUATORIAL INDIAN OCEAN. APPLICATION OF SATELLITE AND SHIPBORNE GEOPHYSICAL DATA
In the near-equatorial part of the Indian Ocean along 85°E there is an extended submarine ridge characterized by lowered values of the gravity field. In its southern part, local gravity lows are observed, the nature of which is still a matter of debate. The authors used integrated remote sensing data (satellite and shipboard data) for density and magnetic modeling. In combination with seismic data, this modeling showed that the nature of the gravity lows is related to the serpentinization process and that the studied objects are not extensions of the 85°E ridge.