Naturaliste Plateau

The Naturaliste Plateau is one of several large submarine plateaus extending from Western Australia into the Indian Ocean.

[2] The volcanic sequence that consists of alternating basaltic flows and volcaniclastic beds, cut by multiple dikes, was recovered at IODP Site U1513 on the eastern flank.

[3] After the volcanic eruption, the Naturaliste Plateau subsided from shelf to bathyal depths during the Early Cretaceous.

[5] Before India broke off from Australia-Antarctica at 127 Ma, the Naturaliste Plateau was flanked by what would become two microcontinents: the Batavia and Gulden Draak Knolls, which are now located on the western margin of the Perth Abyssal Plain 1,600 km (990 mi) from Australia.

Neoproterozoic-Cambrian (540–530 Ma) granite gneisses from the Batavia Knoll were emplaced during or after the formation of the Kuunga Orogen.