Site U1457: Expedition 355

Abstract

International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1457 lies offshore of the western margin of India in the Arabian Sea, ~491 km from the Indian coast and ~750 km from the modern mouth of the Indus River, which is presumed to be the primary source of sediment to the area, at least during the Neogene. Site U1457 is positioned in order to core through the Cenozoic sedimentary cover and penetrate into acoustic basement. The primary objectives are to understand the long-term development of the regional tectonics, climate, and erosional history and to establish the nature of the crust in Laxmi Basin, particularly whether it is of continental or oceanic character.