Preliminary Analysis of Geophysical Measurements North of Juan de Fuca Ridge

Abstract
Preliminary analyses of gravity, magnetic, seismic reflection and refraction, dredging, and heat flow measurements off Queen Charlotte Islands and Vancouver Island are presented. Seismic reflection and gravity measurements show the presence of a sedimentary basin at the foot of the continental slope in which the sediments are progressively more intensely deformed from north to south, indicating the interactions between the lithospheric plates. Heat flow values in the northern part of Explorer Ridge, and recovery of fresh basalts with little mineral coating in this region suggest that Explorer Ridge is a presently active spreading segment of East Pacific Rise. Seismic Refraction results in the deep ocean basin west of Queen Charlotte Islands show a marked anisotropic mantle P wave velocity, the direction of maximum velocity being 107° east of north and the maximum change in velocity being about 0.6 km/s.