Seamounts of the world ocean: features of their distribution by height and space

摘要

An original database containing information on 6300 volcanic seamounts more than 1 km high of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans was compiled. We performed a statistical analysis of their morphological characteristics and the densities of their distribution and examined the correlation of these parameters with the age of the lithosphere. In the course of the studies, we stated the features of the seamount distribution by their heights; estimated the volumes of the volcanic rocks composing the seamounts; calculated the areas of the provinces of the oceanic floor of different ages, the seamount densities within them, and other parameters characterizing the intensity of the volcanic processes over various geological periods; and compiled corresponding histograms. Our conclusions were drawn on the generalities of the spatial and height distribution of seamounts related to the evolution of the oceanic lithosphere.