magmatic intervals at 140–120 and 100–80 Ma due to the emplacement of a sequence of large igneous provinces

(Müller et al., 2016). However, the superposition of multiple magmatic events on old basement during a later
stage is also discussed (Castillo et al., 1992; Pilet et al., 2016). The Shatsky Rise exhibits symmetrical magnetic
stripes and tholeiitic basalt oceanic crust, which could result from ridge–plume interaction (Sager et al., 2019).
Ocean-island alkaline basalts (OIBs) mostly occur on the Magellan and Marcus–Wake seamounts and indicate
mantle sources similar to those of young seamount groups in French Polynesia and the Southern Pacific Ocean,
including the Marquesas, Society, Cook–Austral, and Pitcairn–Tuamotu seamounts (W. H. F. Smith et al., 1989;
Staudigel et al., 1991; Janney and Castillo, 1999). Large-scale magmatic episodes during the Mesozoic were
therefore most likely related to the South Pacific Isotopic and Thermal Anomaly (SOPITA) or a mantle superplume
currently located in the South Pacific Ocean. These ancient seamounts and plateaus moved away from the
SOPITA region to their current positions through seafloor spreading.

4.3 Bathymetry and topography

4.3.1 Depth profile at the regional scale

Gridded bathymetric data of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) were used with Surfer and
ArcGIS software to construct a topographic map (Figure 4.2). The region has large and variable topographic relief,
with a maximum depth in the Mariana Trench of ~11,000 m and some islands reaching 2,000 m above sea level.
Basements of the Marshall and Caroline seamounts are at ~4,000 m depth, with a considerable number of
seamounts protruding above sea level. The Marcus–Wake and Magellan seamount basements, for example, are
at 5,000–6,000 m depths. The Marcus and Wake islands rise above sea level, whereas other seamount peaks in
these areas are below sea level.
Depth profiles (Figure 4.3) indicate that (1) Marcus–Wake and Magellan seamounts peaks are generally at >1,000
m depth, and (2) Marcus–Wake seamounts basement are mainly at shallower levels than those of the Magellan
seamounts, which are generally at >6,000 m depth.

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Figure 4.2. Regional and bathymetric map of the examined area. Depth profiles along lines 1–4 are plotted in Figure 4.3.
Dark purple and dark pink outlines indicate the Magellan and Marcus–Wake seamount regions, respectively. Terrain data
are from GEBCO 15″ grid data, and seamount names are from the Scufn database. Credit Huaiming Li and Zhenggang Li.

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Figure 4.3. Water depth profiles (meters below sea level) of the Marcus–Wake and Magellan seamount chains. Section
locations (lines 1–4) are shown in Figure 4.2. Credit Huaiming Li and Zhenggang Li.

The Marcus–Wake and Magellan seamount chains are delineated in Figure 4.2, and a statistical analysis of water
depths and slopes was undertaken for the two areas (cell numbers 4688860 and 2939567, respectively). The
total area of the Marcus–Wake Seamount chain is 942,000 km2, including an area occupied by seamounts (above
5,000 m depth) of 351,000 km2. The total area of the Magellan Seamount chain is 610,000 km2, including a
seamount area of 227,000 km2. Notably, the two seamount chains regions have similar seamount distribution
densities.

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Depth distribution frequencies (Figure 4.4) of the two seamount chains are positively skewed. First-quartile,
median, and third-quartile values for the Magellan and Marcus–Wake seamount chains are 5,781 and 5,501 m,
5,486 and 5,284 m, and 4,894 and 4,816 m, respectively. The depth of the Magellan seamount chain is thus
greater overall than that of the Marcus–Wake seamount chain. Fourth-quartile bathymetric data of the Marcus–
Wake seamount chain indicate a gradual decrease in frequency with decreasing water depth, and a sudden
increase at 1,350 m in the Magellan seamount chain (Figure 4.4). As the area of each grid is identical, we infer
that (1) the proportion of spire seamounts relative to guyots is higher in the Marcus–Wake seamount chain, and
(2) the depths of guyot summits are clustered at around 1,350 m in the Magellan seamount chain.
The slope frequency distributions (Figure 4.5) of both seamount chains are non-normal and positively skewed.
First-quartile, median, and third-quartile values for the Magellan and Marcus–Wake regions are 0.48° and 0.45°,
1.17° and 1.1°, and 3.67° and 3.48°, respectively. Most of the area (75%) in both regions is fairly flat (<5°).
Although the maximum slopes in the two seamount chains are in the range of 39°–49°, high-slope (>5°) areas
occupy <1% of the total areas.
The bathymetry and topography of the Magellan and the Markus-Wake seamount chains are complex and
diverse, with each seamount chain displaying individual characteristics.

Figure 4.4. Depth frequency distributions for the Magellan (left) and Marcus–Wake (right) seamount chains. Credit Huaiming
Li and Zhenggang Li.

Figure 4.5. Slope frequency distributions for the Magellan (left) and Marcus–Wake (right) seamount chains. Credit Huaiming
Li and Zhenggang Li.

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4.3.2 Bathymetry and topography of the Magellan Mountains
The Magellan seamount chain is the arching chain of volcanic edifices more than 1,200 km long, dividing the
East Mariana Basin into two smaller parts: the northeastern Pigafetta and the southwestern Saipan basins. In the
west, the chain is bounded by the Mariana system of trenches and uplifts, in the southeast by the uplifts of the
Greater Caroline and Marshall Islands (Figure 4.6).
The relief of the seabed in the area of the Magellan seamount chain was studied in the years 2000 to 2010. For
each prospective guyot with cobalt-rich ferromanganese emplacement, a bathymetric survey at a scale of 1:
200,000 was performed using multi-beam echo sounder to obtain maps of the bottom relief, distribution of
bottom slopes, and amplitudes of the backscattered signal. These data made it possible to study the depths of
the seabed, slopes, and all morphostructural features of the Magellan seamounts. Since 2015, the study of the
seabed topography has continued within the Russian Exploration Area of cobalt-rich ferromanganese crusts with
a degree of detail that enables the compilation of bathymetric maps at a scale of 1: 50 000. With these newly
available data, it is possible to better define the depths, slopes, and complex morphology determining the
mesoforms of the seamount topographies.

Figure 4.6. Bathymetric map of the Magellan seamounts. Isobaths every 500 m. Credit Yuzhmorgeology.

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