<p>If I am understanding the question correctly those straight lines may not actually be lines, they may be strips or bands and they are bands that are not actually there. The bands are a result of combining the available sea floor profile data into a single map and are bands of sea bottom that follow the course of ships that do such mapping - thus the straight part - at higher resolution than the areas around them. Zoom in close and the different resolutions within and outside those bands become easier to identify.</p>
<p>Or else it is the patterning of ocean bottom accompanying the boundaries of tectonic plates that have histories of diverging. I'm not sure why such patterns emerge; someone better informed may be able to answer better.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T15:05:41.487Z
There are lots of real ridges and troughs to the west of the 90 East Ridge that more or less parallel the 90 East Ridge. I suspect that these lesser ridges and troughs to the west of the 90 East Ridge are what the OP was asking about.
David Hammen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T15:56:05.267Z
See also https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/17277/what-are-these-underwater-structures-near-6n-8555w/17305#17305 for the mapping aspect of it.
Wolfgang Bangerth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-18T00:08:46.100Z
@DavidHammen - if it is about those ridges, then the Q definitely needs a better answer than mine.
Ken Fabian
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-18T01:54:34.317Z
@KenFabian The question definitely needs improvement. But we haven't seen the OP since shortly after the question was asked.
David Hammen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-18T08:11:32.240Z
I don't think those are graphics artifacts. I believe those are real troughs and ridges. A little googling and my limited intuition suggests that these ridges may have formed due to lava flow and techtonic pressure on Earth's crust.
user22796
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T09:05:25.453Z
2021-06-17T09:16:36.527Z
2021-06-17T09:16:36.527Z
Ken Fabian
<p>Why does some part of the ocean floor look so scratchy?</p>
<p>If you look at Google Earth image of the Indian ocean floor, especially the area south-west of Sumatra, it looks like some cosmic beast scratched it with its sharp claws. The same thing can be seen near the Hawaiian islands. I know it has something to do with tectonic movements and stuff, but I don't know for sure.</p>
<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/KvubZm.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/KvubZm.jpg" alt="The sea floor around Cocos Islands" /></a></p>
<p><a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/NinetyEastRidge.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer">The sea floor around Cocos Islands</a><br/>
So what is the explanation for this?!</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T12:37:25.803Z
Can you add a screenshot of Google Earth showing us the feature you're talking about?
Gimelist
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T14:59:12.257Z
@Gimelist Possibly [this image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/NinetyEastRidge.jpg), the Ninety East Ridge? The ridges and troughs west of the Ninety East Ridge that roughly parallel the Ninety East Ridge are probably what the OP is asking about.
David Hammen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T15:00:20.100Z
Unfortunately, I suspect this is a drive-by question.
David Hammen
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-17T15:55:33.657Z
Possibly also a duplicate of https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/17277/what-are-these-underwater-structures-near-6n-8555w/17305#17305
Wolfgang Bangerth
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-06-18T08:03:59.230Z
@David Hammen Yes I am talking about exactly those parallel lines.
user22796
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-02-26T14:52:44.447Z
If you look at Bora Bora it's a bunch of scratches all centering on one point: French Polynesia. Google Earth is fascinating. I'm sure these can all be explained by geologists but there's not a 0% chance that it's because of aliens.
Matthew
<oceanography><plate-tectonics><ocean-ridge>
Why does the ocean floor look so scratchy?
user22796
# Why does the ocean floor look so scratchy?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-06-17)

Why does some part of the ocean floor look so scratchy?

If you look at Google Earth image of the Indian ocean floor, especially the area south-west of Sumatra, it looks like some cosmic beast scratched it with its sharp claws. The same thing can be seen near the Hawaiian islands. I know it has something to do with tectonic movements and stuff, but I don't know for sure.

[![The sea floor around Cocos Islands](https://i.sstatic.net/KvubZm.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/KvubZm.jpg)

[The sea floor around Cocos Islands](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/NinetyEastRidge.jpg)  
So what is the explanation for this?!

**Tags:** oceanography, plate-tectonics, ocean-ridge

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Can you add a screenshot of Google Earth showing us the feature you're talking about?  
> **username_2**: @username_1 Possibly [this image](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b9/NinetyEastRidge.jpg), the Ninety East Ridge? The ridges and troughs west of the Ninety East Ridge that roughly parallel the Ninety East Ridge are probably what the OP is asking about.  
> **username_2**: Unfortunately, I suspect this is a drive-by question.  
> **username_3**: Possibly also a duplicate of https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/17277/what-are-these-underwater-structures-near-6n-8555w/17305#17305  
> **username_0**: @username_2 Yes I am talking about exactly those parallel lines.  
> **username_4**: If you look at Bora Bora it's a bunch of scratches all centering on one point: French Polynesia. Google Earth is fascinating. I'm sure these can all be explained by geologists but there's not a 0% chance that it's because of aliens.  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_5 on 2021-06-17. Score: 2

If I am understanding the question correctly those straight lines may not actually be lines, they may be strips or bands and they are bands that are not actually there. The bands are a result of combining the available sea floor profile data into a single map and are bands of sea bottom that follow the course of ships that do such mapping - thus the straight part - at higher resolution than the areas around them. Zoom in close and the different resolutions within and outside those bands become easier to identify.

Or else it is the patterning of ocean bottom accompanying the boundaries of tectonic plates that have histories of diverging. I'm not sure why such patterns emerge; someone better informed may be able to answer better.

> **Comments:**
> **username_2**: There are lots of real ridges and troughs to the west of the 90 East Ridge that more or less parallel the 90 East Ridge. I suspect that these lesser ridges and troughs to the west of the 90 East Ridge are what the OP was asking about.  
> **username_3**: See also https://earthscience.stackexchange.com/questions/17277/what-are-these-underwater-structures-near-6n-8555w/17305#17305 for the mapping aspect of it.  
> **username_5**: @username_2 - if it is about those ridges, then the Q definitely needs a better answer than mine.  
> **username_2**: @username_5 The question definitely needs improvement. But we haven't seen the OP since shortly after the question was asked.  
> **username_0**: I don't think those are graphics artifacts. I believe those are real troughs and ridges. A little googling and my limited intuition suggests that these ridges may have formed due to lava flow and techtonic pressure on Earth's crust.  

---

