Certain topographic features of non-volcanic origin resemble volcanic forms and are therefore known as pseudovolcanic-features. They include the following:

(i) Meteorite Craters

These are the depressions formed due to the impact of falling materials of large dimensions. The Lortar lack in Buldana district of Maharashtra was originally thought to be a crater lake, but was later con­firmed to have been formed by the impact of a giant meteorite.

(ii) Salt-plugs

ADVERTISEMENTS:

As we know, under high pressure salt deforms plastically and behaves like an intrusive, deform­ing and piercing the overlying sediments.

Salt extrusions may take the form of salt hills which exhibits many features of plug domes or lava cones with peaks and small sink-holes, which look like craters produced due to sub­sidence.

(iii) Mud-volcanoes

Some of the mud-volcanoes are of non- volcanic origin. As for example, the volatile hydrocarbons given off from the petroleum-bearing beds beneath cause mud-eruptions, as in case of the mud-volcanoes at Baku on the Caspian, in southern Baluchistan, in Burma etc.

ADVERTISEMENTS:

Apart from what has been described above, William D. Thornbury (Principles of Geomorphology .Wiley International Edition, Second Edition, New York 1985) has mentioned that craters formed by bombs and mine blast (Bomb and mine crater.) have features of craters developed due to volcanic explosion.