This two-volume handbook presents advanced research and operational information about hard minerals and hydrocarbons. It provides information in an integrated, interdisciplinary manner, stressing case histories. It includes review chapters, illustrations, graphs, tables, and color satellite images that present the results of gravity, geodetic, and seismic surveys and of 3-D sea floor sub-bottom visualizations. The data was obtained using satellites, aircraft, and ships from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea. Major topics addressed in these volumes include geophysical methods used to explore for hydrocarbons, advanced radiometric and electrical methods for hard mineral searches, the role of geotechnology and seismic acoustics in overcoming geological hazards in selecting drilling sites and pipeline routes, and remote sensing techniques used to determine the physical properties of sediments.

Experts in the field offer the first comprehensive review of the tectonics and magmatism of backarc basins, covering their initial rift stage to mature spreading. Complete with numerous illustrations, each of the twelve chapters focuses on a young, active backarc basin of the circum-Pacific-where volcano-tectonic processes are best studied because of their activity. Key themes in this volume include volcano-tectonics setting; cause and location; rift magmas; and hydrothermal activity. Researchers also present models of the dynamic processes occurring in backarc basins.

"Oceanian ceramic cultures making earthenware pottery spread during the past 3500 years through a dozen major island groups spanning 6000 km of the tropical Pacific Ocean from western Micronesia to western Polynesia. Island potters mixed sand as temper into clay bodies during ceramic manufacture. The nature of island sands is governed by the geotectonics of hotspot chains, island arcs, subduction zones, backarc basins, and remnant arcs as well as by sedimentology. Because small islands with bedrock exposures of restricted character are virtual point sources of sand, many tempers are diagnostic of specific islands. Petrographic study of temper sands in thin section allows distinction between indigenous pottery and exotic pottery transported from elsewhere. Study of 2223 prehistoric Oceanian potsherds from 130 islands and island clusters indicates the nature of Oceanian temper types and documents 105 cases of interisland transport of ceramics over distances typically

Vol. 174AX bound with Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program. Scientific results Vol. 174A.