TECTONIC AND STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE PACIFIC INDO-AUSTRALIAN PLATEBOUNDARY IN THE NORTH FIJI-LAU BASIN REGIONS, SOUTHWEST PACIFIC

The SOPAC GLORIA survey covered principally an east-west region of the southwest Pacific approximately along latitude 16-degrees-S between l ongitudes 167-degrees-E and 171-degrees-W. Although a main objective w as to determine the potential for seabed resources, the survey covered parts of the boundary between the Pacific and Indo-Australian plates and therefore addresses fundamental tectonic processes in these areas. The boundary is complicated and in some regions is not completely kno wn. It is made more complicated by being unstable in places, making it s history unclear. This paper brings together the general results of t he survey as discussed by other contributions in this special issue to provide an overall interpretation, particularly as it relates to the major plate boundary through the region.