Crustal Structure of Wanganui Basin: Implications for Back-Arc Basin Formation

Abstract

Onshore-offshore and onshore wide-angle reflection and refraction seismic data are analysed in order to constrain the crustal P-wave velocity structure within Wanganui Basin and the southern Hikurangi margin, western North Island, New Zealand. Two, two-dimensional, P-wave velocity models are constructed using reflection and refraction phase travel-times based on forty-four onshore-offshore receiver gathers, twelve onshore shot gathers and two marine multi-channel-seismic reflection profiles collected along two transects within Wanganui Basin. The profiles are orientated both sub-parallel and perpendicular to the strike of the Hikurangi margin.