Reconnaisance geomorphology of Rangiroa atoll, Tuamotu archipelago

Abstract

Rangiroa is the largest atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago, and since the institution of a regular air service, the most accessible; yet in common with other Tuamotuan atolls it has rarely been visited by scientists and is barely mentioned in the literature. Dana (1849) published brief notes following the Wilkes Expedition; but the only full account is that by Agassiz (1903). Agassiz's descriptions are, however, verbose and imprecise, and marred by misinterpretations of major atoll features. In the study of Tuamotuan atolls, a major reference point is provided by the reports of the 1952 Pacific Science Board Expedition to Raroia Atoll, led by N. D. Newell. Major reports resulting from this expedition are those of Newel1 (1953, 1956) on geology and geomorphology; Doty and others (1954), Doty and Morrison (1954), and blorrison (1954) on plant and animal systematics and ecology; Harry (1953) on ichthyology; and Danielsson (1954, 1956) on culture and econoinic life. More recently, Ranson (1962 and earlier papers) has published accounts ofllikueru and other atolls, and detailed work has been carried out in connection with the French weapons tests at Mururoa at the eastern end of the archipelago (Lalou and others 1966, Chauveau and others 1967)