Crustal structure of Pacific Ocean area from dispersion of Rayleigh waves

Abstract

The dispersion of Rayleigh waves along a great number of Pacific paths has been studied by means of records from Pasadena, California, U. S. A., and Huancayo, Peru. Combining these measurements with previous ones based on records at Tsukuba, Hongkong, Honolulu and Suva, it was found that the central part of the Pacific Ocean exhibits the most oceanic structure, with exception for the Hawaiian Islands. In the south-eastern Pacific Ocean an area could be delineated with a new type of dispersion characteristics, not found in any other part of the Pacific. This area agrees closely with the Easter Island Ridge system, and exhibits unusually thin crust and low upper-mantle velocities as well as exceptionally high heat flow.