Lau Basin

The Lau Basinhttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/222656327 is a back-arc basin located at the Australian Plate-Pacific Plate boundary in the Pacific Ocean. It was formed by the subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath the Australian Plate. The basin is bordered by the Tonga-Kermadec Ridge to the east, a frontal arc, and the Lau-Colville Ridge to the west, a remnant arc.

 Geography 
The Lau Basin joins with the Havre Trough to the south and has a triangular shape. It reaches a maximum width of 500 km (310 mi) in the northern region.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222487335

 History 
The Lau Basin is relatively young, with much of its formation occurring within the last 5 million years. It originated due to extensional rifting and seafloor spreading that separated a previously continuous island arc. Around 25 million years ago, the Pacific Plate started drifting away from the Australian Plate, causing the volcanic Tonga-Kermadec Ridge to split and forming the basin.

 References 

Category:Pacific Ocean