Morphology of the Piip submarine volcano in the Komandorsky Basin based on multibeam echosounder data

Abstract

We analyzed the bathymetric data obtained during the cruises on the German research vessel “Sonne” using multibeam echosounders within the framework of the Russian-German projects KALMAR (cruise SO201-2, 2009) and BERING (cruise SO249-2, 2016) in the Komandorsky Basin of the Bering Sea. Detailed bathymetric maps of the Piip submarine volcano were constructed. New morphological features of its summit edifices and their age relations are described, hydrothermal activity confined to the edifices is localized, and all side cones and lava flows are mapped. Based on the flank cones and fissure lava flows alignments we determined the tectonic paleostress that existed at the time of their formation, presumably after the Late Miocene-Early Pliocene. It differs from the recent tectonic stress caused by right-lateral displacements along the Bering fault zone.

Keywords

• bering sea
• komandorsky basin
• piip volcano
• bathymetric survey