ABSTRACT
The Melanesian islands, so-called because they are populated by dark-skinned people, extend from the island of New Guinea, the Solomon and Bismarck Islands, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and as far east as Fiji. This chapter focuses on the 23 found in the vicinity of New Guinea. Thirteen occur to its north, four more are in the Bismarck and Solomon seas, and the remaining six are part of the Louisiade Archipelago, the eastern extension of New Guinea. These atolls are influenced by the westward flow of the South Equatorial Current and possibly by the New Guinea Coastal Current that reverses course with the monsoon winds. Waves are highly variable across the area, as a function of shifting winds and the sheltering effect of islands; spring tidal ranges are generally between 1 and 2 m. A variety of rim types form on these atolls including open, closed, semi-closed, and submerged.
