A. V. Rozova, E. P. Dubinin

Earth Science Museum, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskiye Gory, 119992, Moscow, Russia e-mail: dubinin@mes.msu.ru

The paper reads about the variations of the axial relief and morphostructural segmentation along the intermediate spreading South-East Indian Ridge (Vspr=5.8 – 7.6 cm/year). The axial morphology changes from axial highs, which are typical for fast spreading ridges (V>8 cm/year), to rift valleys, which are usually observed on slow spreading ridges (V<4 cm/year). Rift zones with axial high morphology and rift valley morphology are separated by significant regions of intermediate rift zone morphology. The principal relief features of rift zones with intermediate axial morphology are revealed. Analyzing the relief of the rift zone, we suggest the character of the internal lithospheric structure variations during the transition from rift zones with axial high morphology to rift zones with intermediate morphology and to rift zones with axial valley morphology.