Previous Year Question
Red sea is an example of:
Volcanic valley
Eroded valley
Axial trough
U-shaped valley
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The Red Sea lies within an active rift zone, where the African Plate and Arabian Plate are moving away from each other. Extension of the Earth's crust has produced faulting, subsidence and an elongated central depression. This central depression is referred to in the question as an Axial Trough.
The tectonic development of the Red Sea is associated with continental rifting that began about 30 million years ago. The crust subsequently continued to stretch and thin, and initial sea-floor spreading began in parts of the region about 20 million years ago.
Evidence of active tectonic processes and sea-floor spreading still occurs in its axial region. According to the USGS, the Red Sea Basin is an active rift, and water depths in its axial region locally exceed 2,300 metres.
This tectonic process progressively separated Africa from the Arabian Peninsula and created the Red Sea basin. Therefore, it is not considered an eroded valley or a U-shaped glacial valley.