Tectonic maps of Pacific produced

Press, 2 June 1982, Page 14

Tectonic maps of Pacific produced

NZPA staff correspondent. Washington Scientists have unveiled the first detailed maps of the tectonic plates of the Pacific basin, a project linked to pinpointing hydrocarbon and mineral resources. The international effort to produce maps of the basin began in' 1973, with scientists from more than 30 Pacific countries including New Zealand, taking part. The United States geological survey ship S.P. Lee is making what is described as the most detailed hydrocarbon study of the South Pacific. The scientists at the Washington briefing for congressional and State Department staffs and news media reported that extensive seismic surveys from the ship had revealed “high' quality profiles”. as far as 8 km below the seabed in the southern Tonga trench. %;* Mr Bob Rowland, chief of the marine geology branch of the geological survey, said in a tape-recorded report from the ship that a great deal of work was still needed before the results were analysed.

Detailed results of the surveys will be announced at a Pacific energy and mineral resources conference in Hawaii in August. The chairman of the map project’s south-west quadrant, which includes Australia and New Zealand, is Dr H. F. Doutch of Australia’s Bureau -of Mineral Resources. He said that New Zealand had taken a “low-key” attitude to the mapping, but that Dr Rudi Katz, of the D.S.I.R. who was now aboard the S.P. Lee. had provided valuable help. The Japanese would sponsor similar cruises with international partiepation next year, he said. A Soviet offer to sponsor cruises had been refused because other countries found it politically unacceptable, in spite of the regard scientists had for their Soviet colleagues’ work. Maps of the Antarctic are also being, produced with Dr George Grindley, of the New Zealand Geological Survey, a member of the Antarctic panel. The panel’s chairman, Dr Campbell Craddock, said the team had produced geosci-

ence maps of Antartic re-,> gions and was now working on geological maps. Re said he believed the possibility of hydrocarbons . existing in Antarctica “quite likely," but that no proof had yet been found. The director of the United . States Geological Survey, Dr , Dallas Peck, also announced a major co-operative effort between the United States . and China, with scientific agreements to cover 30 projects. The programme would involve the exchange of about 1,00 scientists over the next , few years, he said. One project would involve studying earthquake fault zones on both sides of the". Pacific. Dr Peck said he believed , the new maps would produce concrete benefits for the - average citizen -in a short. ■ time: "results that will aid,, the search for critically needed mineral and energy i resources, results that will t . increase the understanding and help decrease the pain,. and suffering from such natural hazards as earthquakes and volcanoes." ■ J i