A seismic refraction survey was carried out in the waters around
the Solomon Islands during November and December 1966. Three ships were
involved in the survey: two, stationed at the end points of the traverses, acted as
recording ships; the third steamed along the traverses and dropped explosives.
Reflection profiling and magnetic surveys were simultaneously carried out with the
refraction survey. The results show that (a) on the Ontong Java Plateau to the
northwest of the islands the crust is about 25 km thick with subnormal crustal
velocities; (b) southwest of the New Georgia Islands the crust is thinner than
normal and is underlain by a mantle with low velocity; (c) southwest of Bougainville
Island the crust is generally of normal oceanic structure underlain by a mantle
with low velocity; and (d) mantle material in the Slot is found at a depth of
14 km
