There was a M6.5 in New Guinea area about 1 1/2 hours before Carlsberg. Not a coincidence in my mind. Also, a M7.6 is unusually large for being near an ocean speading center. The NEIC plate boundary map shows short spreading segments linked by short transform fault-maybe not long enough for a M7.6. So, I'll be interested to see the focal mechanism when they post it. Also, my marine geophysicist wife says that the Carlsberg Ridge is poorly mapped, so maybe there could be longer/larger structures.
For no particular reason (except maybe 1927..) I vote for some activity near the antipode....Chris

• neic USGS site