Skip to main content
Log in

Regional setting of a complex backarc: New Hebrides Arc, northern Vanatu-eastern Solomon Islands

  • Published:
Geo-Marine Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

New GLORIA imagery over the complex backarc area of the northern New Hebrides Arc clearly outlines the deeply faulted Jean Charcot Troughs. The troughs are 2400–3000 m deep and are not magmatically active. They appear to be fragmented older crust and are not backarc basins in the usual sense.

Horst and graben structures on the Hazel Holme Fracture Zone (HHFZ) cut obliquely across the trend of the Zone, which therefore is not a simple transform. The enechelon ridges may form a relay, but Y-shaped grabens could be remnant spreading zones, formed earlier in the history of the western part of the North Fiji Basin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Auzende J-M, Lafoy Y, and Marsset B (1988) Recent geodynamic evolution of the North Fiji Basin (southwest Pacific). Geology 16:925–929

    Google Scholar 

  • Auzende J-M, Boespflug X, Bougault H, Dosso L, Foucher J-P, Joron J-L, Rvellan E, and Sibvet J (1990) From intracratonic extension to mature spreading in backarc basins: examples from the Okinawa, Lau, and North Fiji Basins. Oceanologica Acta 10:153–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Carney JN and Mcfarlane A (1982) Geological evidence bearing on the Miocene to Recent structural evolution of the New Hebrides Arc. Tectonophysics 87:147–175

    Google Scholar 

  • Charvis P and Pelletier B (1989) The northern New Hebrides backarc troughs: History and relation with the North Fiji Basin. Tectonophysics 170:259–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Chase CG (1971) Tectonic history of the Fiji Plateau. Geological Society of America Bulletin 82:3087–3110

    Google Scholar 

  • Collot JY, Greene HG, Stokking LB, and Scientific Party (1992) Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Initial Reports 124:1136 pp

  • Dubois J, Dugas F, Lapouille A, and Louat R (1978) The troughs at the rear of the New Hebrides island arc: possible mechanisms of formation. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 15:351–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Dupuy C, Dostal J, Marcelot G, Bougault H, Joron JL, and Treuil M (1982) Geochemistry of basalts from central and southern New Hebrides arc: Implications for their source rock composition. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 60:207–225

    Google Scholar 

  • Falvey DA (1978) Analysis of palaeomagnetic data from the New Hebrides. Bulletin of Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists 9:117–123

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene HG, MacFarlane AS, Johnson DP, and Crawford AJ (1988) Structure and tectonics of the central New Hebrides Arc. In: Greene HG and Wong FL (Eds.), Geology and Offshore Resources of Pacific Island Arcs—Vanuatu Region. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series 8:377-412

  • Hamburger MW and Isacks BL (1993) Shallow seismicity of the North Fiji Basin. In: Kroenke LW and Eade JV (Eds.), Basin Formation, Ridge Crest Processes, and Metallogenesis in the North Fiji Basin. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series :27–44 (in press)

  • Honza, E (1991) The tertiary age chain in the Western Pacific. Tectonophysics 187:285–303

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes Clarke JE, Jarvis P, Tiffin D, Price R, and Kroenke L (1993) Tectonic activity and plate boundaries along the northern flank of the Fiji Platform. Geo-Marine Letters 13:this issue

  • Jakes P and White AJR (1969) Structure of the Melanesian arcs and correlation with distribution of magma types. Tectonophysics 8:223–236

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis P, Kroenke L, Price R, and Maillet P (1993) GLORIA imagery of seafloor structures in the northern North Fiji Basin. Geo-Marine Letters 13:this issue

  • Kroenke LW, Smith R, and Nemoto K (1993) Morphology and structure of the seafloor in the northern part of the North Fiji Basin. In: Kroenke LW and Eade JV (Eds.), Basin Formation, Ridge Crest Processes, and Metallogenesis in the North Fiji Basin. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series :15–25 (in press)

  • Lafoy Y, Auzende J-M, Ruellan E, Huchon P, and Honza E (1990) The 16°40′S triple junction in the North Fiji Basin (SW Pacific). Marine Geophysical Research 12:285–296

    Google Scholar 

  • Louat R and Pelletier B (1989) Seismotectonics and present-day relative motions in the New Herbrides—North Fiji Basin region. Tectonophysics 167:41–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Louat R, Hamburger M, and Monzier M (1988) Shallow and intermediate-depth seismicity in the New Hebrides arc: Constraints on the subduction process. In: Greene HG and Wong FL (Eds.), Geology and Offshore Resources of Pacific Island Arcs—Vanuatu Region. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series 8:329–356

  • Macfarlane A, Carney JN, Crawford AJ, and Greene HG (1988) Vanuatu—a review of onshore geology. In: Greene HG and Wong FL (Eds.), Geology and Offshore Resources of Pacific Island Arcs—Vanuatu Region. Circum-Pacific Council for Energy and Mineral Resources, Earth Science Series 8:45–92

  • Mitchell AHG and Warden AJ (1971) Geological evolution of the New Hebrides island arc. Journal of the Geological Society of London 127:501–529

    Google Scholar 

  • Monjaret M-C, Bellon H, and Maillet P (1990) Magmatism of the troughs at the rear of the New Hebrides island arc (R/V Jean Charcot SEAPSO 2 cruise): K-Ar geochronology and petrology. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 46:265–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Pelletier B, Charvis P, Daniel J, Hello Y, Jamet F, Louat R, Nanau P, and Rigolet P (1988) Structures et lineations magnetiques du coin nordouest du bassin Nord-Fidjien: Resultats preliminaires de la campagne EVA 14 (aout 1987). Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences 306:1247–1254

    Google Scholar 

  • Price RC, Maillet P, and Johnson DP (1993) Interpretation of GLORIA sidescan sonar imagery for the Coriolis Troughs of the New Hebrides backarc. Geo-Marine Letters 13: this issue

  • Recy J, Pelletier B, Charvis P, Gerard M, Monjaret MC, and Maillet P (1990) Structure, age et origine des fosses arrier-arc des Nouvelles-Hebrides (sud-ouest Pacifique). Oceanologica Acta, Vol Special 10:165–182

    Google Scholar 

  • Sage F and Charvis P (1991) Deep structure of the transition zone between the island arc and the marginal basin in the northern New Hebrides Arc (Vanuatu, southwest Pacific). Comptes Rendus de l'Academie des Sciences 313:41–48

    Google Scholar 

  • Sclater JG (1972) Heat flow and elevation of the marginal basins of the western Pacific. Journal Geophysical Research 77:5705–5719

    Google Scholar 

  • Sclater JG and Menard HW (1967) Topography and heat flow of the Fiji Plateau. Nature 216:991–993

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor B and Karner GD (1983) On the evolution of marginal basins. Reviews of Geophysics 21:1727–1741

    Google Scholar 

  • Tiffin DL (1993) GLORIA surveys in frontier areas of the southwest Pacific Ocean. Geo-Marine Letters 13:this issue

  • Uyeda S and Kanamori H (1979) Backarc opening and the mode of subduction. Journal of Geophysical Research 84B3:1049–1061

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Johnson, D.P., Maillet, P.C. & Price, R. Regional setting of a complex backarc: New Hebrides Arc, northern Vanatu-eastern Solomon Islands. Geo-Marine Letters 13, 82–89 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01204549

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01204549

Keywords

Navigation