Marine geophysical study of the Solomon Arc convergent zone

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The Solomon island arc area is a complex plate convergence zone. On the northern side is the North Solomon Trench at which the Pacific plate is being consumed. Another trench on the southern side is the San Cristobal Trench, where the Indo-Australian plate and the Solomon Sea plate seem to be subducting beneath the Solomon arc. The San Cristobal Trench becomes less conspicuous west of Guadalcanal.A plate subduction zone is usually best described by the seismic data, that is by the determination of hypocenters that define the geometry of the subducting slab. However, in a complex region like the Solomon area, the worldwide seismic network dataset is unable to resolve the complexity unless one assumes the tectonics operating in the region. Only less than 10 events are determined each year west of Guadalcanal.The only way to obtain high spatial resolution in hypocenter determination is to conduct an on-site seismic observation with very high sensitivity. We have improved our digital ocean bottom seismograph (OBS) in 1993 and made a temporary microseismicity observation west of Guadalcanal using 5 OBS's for the period of Aug.28 through Sep.7 in 1994.Our preliminary results indicate (1) about 200 times higher seismic detectability compared to the International Seismological Center determinations, (2) subduction of the Indo-Australian plate to about 50 km with a surprisingly large dip angle of about 50 degrees, (3) almost no seismicity in the small basin between the double arc, (4) 60 to 90 km deep events probably associated with the Pacific plate subduction.We are planning an arc transect to obtain the whole crustal structure of the arc system, which will help to link the above findings with the structure and tectonics.