Crustal and Upper Mantle Structure of the Solomon Islands as Revealed by Seismic Refraction Survey of November-December 1966

摘要

A seismic refraction survey was carried out in the waters aroundthe Solomon Islands during November and December 1966. Three ships wereinvolved in the survey: two, stationed at the end points of the traverses, acted asrecording ships; the third steamed along the traverses and dropped explosives.Reflection profiling and magnetic surveys were simultaneously carried out with therefraction survey. The results show that (a) on the Ontong Java Plateau to thenorthwest of the islands the crust is about 25 km thick with subnormal crustalvelocities; (b) southwest of the New Georgia Islands the crust is thinner thannormal and is underlain by a mantle with low velocity; (c) southwest of BougainvilleIsland the crust is generally of normal oceanic structure underlain by a mantlewith low velocity; and (d) mantle material in the Slot is found at a depth of14 km.