EVIDENCE FOR SEA-FLOOR SPREADING IN THE LAXMI BASIN, NORTHEASTERN ARABIAN SEA

Marine magnetic anomaly data from the Laxmi Basin for the first time r eveal the presence of fairly correlatable NNW-trending magnetic lineat ions. These magnetic lineations are symmetric about a central negative magnetic anomaly and the axis of symmetry coincides with a characteri stic short-wavelength free-air gravity low. The anomalies are interpre ted as representing a two-limbed seafloor spreading sequence which can be equated to the A28-A33 interval of the geomagnetic polarity revers al timescale. These results suggest that the Laxmi Basin is underlain by an oceanic crust. Evidence of seafloor spreading in this basin poss ibly implies a pre-A27 spreading episode in the evolutionary history o f the Arabian Sea.