Morphotectonic evolution of the New Caledonia ridge (Pacific Southwest) from post-obduction tectonosedimentary record

The tectonostratigraphic and geomorphic study of two post-obduction fluvial sedimentary systems on mainland New Caledonia and imaged offshore on seismic reflection lines provides a new perspective on the post-orogenic evolution of the New Caledonia ridge. Relations between sedimentary sequence boundaries, erosion surfaces and faults, both on land and on offshore seismic reflection profiles indicate that an episode of extensional tectonics initiated in the Early Neogene led to the disruption and collapse of the island landsurface previously shaped during a Latest Oligocene phase of planation. Microtectonic analysis further suggests early slip on the normal faults was associated with ridge-normal extension. A later set of faults accompanied ridge-parallel to ridge-oblique extension that is interpreted to result from a shift toward a transtensional regime driven by the initiation of east-verging subduction of the Australian plate beneath the Pacific plate starting at least in the late Mid-Miocene.