The Chagos-Laccadive Ridge (CLR), also known as Chagos-Laccadive Plateau,[1] is a prominent volcanic ridge and oceanic plateau extending between the Northern and the Central Indian Ocean. The CLR extends northward for approximately 2350 km from 9° S at the southern end of the Chagos Archipelago to 14° north around the Adas Bank. The islands of Chagos, the Maldives and the Lakshadweep are the above-water parts of the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge.[2]
The vast Chagos-Laccadive Ridge was formed by the Réunion volcanic hotspot along with the southern part of the Mascarene Plateau. Both plateaux are volcanic traces of the Réunion hotspot.[3] Although the Chagos-Laccadive Ridge is an aseismic ridge, between 1965 and 1970 an unusual, isolated swarm of earthquakes occurred on the west side of the Great Chagos Bank at approximately .[4]
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