Active tectonism within the Fiji platform, southwest Pacific

Research Article| March 01, 1988 Active tectonism within the Fiji platform, southwest Pacific Michael W. Hamburger; Michael W. Hamburger 1Department of Geology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ian B. Everingham; Ian B. Everingham 2Mineral Resources Department, Private Mail Bag, G.P.O., Suva, Fiji Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bryan L. Isacks; Bryan L. Isacks 3Department of Geological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Continents, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Muawia Barazangi Muawia Barazangi 3Department of Geological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Continents, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Michael W. Hamburger 1Department of Geology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 Ian B. Everingham 2Mineral Resources Department, Private Mail Bag, G.P.O., Suva, Fiji Bryan L. Isacks 3Department of Geological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Continents, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Muawia Barazangi 3Department of Geological Sciences and Institute for the Study of the Continents, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1988) 16 (3): 237–241. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0237:ATWTFP>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Michael W. Hamburger, Ian B. Everingham, Bryan L. Isacks, Muawia Barazangi; Active tectonism within the Fiji platform, southwest Pacific. Geology 1988;; 16 (3): 237–241. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1988)016<0237:ATWTFP>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract New observational data on the velocity structure, seismicity, and state of stress of the large submarine platform that includes the Fiji Islands demonstrate that the platform is an active participant in the pervasive regional deformation of the Pacific/Indian-Australian plate boundary. Refraction data collected within the Fiji platform demonstrate that its crustal thickness (15-25 km) and seismic velocity structure are comparable to those of active island arcs.Uppermost mantle velocity beneath the platform is anomalously low (7.55 km/s), in the same range as that observed beneath the neighboring marginal basins and island arcs. Shallow seismicity is observed both within and along the boundaries of the Fiji platform. Moderate to large earthquakes within the platform occur more sporadically than those along its margins; these intraplate events are separated by long periods of quiescence. Earthquake depths within the platform are concentrated in the upper 13-16 km, as in other areas of extensional/strike-slip tectonics. Both the large 1953 Suva earthquake (Ms = 6.75) and microearthquakes within and around the island of Viti Levu occur by strike-slip faulting, under the same stress field that is deforming the North Fiji and Lau basins. The low upper-mantle velocities, presence of widespread seismicity and Neogene volcanism, and state of stress of the Fiji platform contradict the notion of a stable land mass surrounded by zones of deformation in the neighboring back-arc basins. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.