CENOZOIC COMPRESSIVE TECTONICS ON THE FAI RWAY RIDGE AND THE LORD HOWE RISE, BETWEEN NEW-CALEDONIA AND AUSTRALIA

The new bathymetric, magnetic and mainly seismic data acquired during the Zoesis cruise, reveal the presence of compressional features in th e ''Fairway Ridge-Fairway Basin-Lord Howe Rise (northern part)'' area, west of New Caledonia. The compressive strain is especially responsib le for the formation of the Fairway Ridge. The compression is emphasiz ed by a regional unconformity that could be dated late Eocene, accordi ng to DSDP data in the area, and therefore synchronous with the late E ocene obduction of the New Caledonia ophiolites. The westward extensio n of the late Eocene compressive strain in the New Caledonia area is m ore developed than previously thought.