This is a project to process and interpret two seismic reflection lines and two sonobuoy reversed refraction profiles using state of the art techniques. Data is from the continental shelf and slope off southern central California. The hope is to produce an image and velocity-depth profile beneath the Santa Maria Basin in order to determine how deep reflections beneath the continental slope are related to those beneath the coast and to determine how far the Pacific plate extends beneath the North American margin. %%% Seismic reflection and refraction studies of the type to be carried out in this project can help elucidate the detailed structure of continental margins and can help constrain models of their geological evolution. This is important because continental margins are important areas of hydrocarbon formation and preservation as well as for mineral resources.
