Four ocean bottom seismograph (OBS) profiles acquired across the continent-ocean transition zone of the outer V¿ring Plateau have been modeled by inversion and forward modeling of the OBS vertical component traces (P waves). The thickness of the sedimentary layers deposited since the early Eocene continental breakup varies from up to 2.2 km above the basaltic inner flows (IF) to a minimum of 0.2 km about 20 km seaward of the V¿ring Escarpment (VE), with a velocity of 1.6--2.55 km/s. The thickness of the uppermost layer of basalt varies from 0.5 to 4.5 km, and its velocity ranges from 3.4 to 5 km/s. The modeling of the two dip profiles suggests that strongly intruded preopening sedimentary rocks extend ~40 km seaward of the VE. Farther seaward, another layer of extrusives/intrusives is found beneath the uppermost layer of basalt. The lateral variations in velocity in the main crustal layer along the dip profiles indicate that the continent/ocean transition extends over a 30--50 km wide zone in between (strike) profile 3 (oceanic; 6.6--7.35 km/s) and (strike) profile 4 (continental; 6.1--7.0 km/s). An up to 7 km thick lower crustal high-velocity body (7.1--7.4 km/s) is interpreted in terms of intrusions in the lower crust beneath and landward of the continent/ocean transition. The total thickness of the normal oceanic crust is estimated to be 7--9 km, the anomalously thick oceanic crust reaches a maximum thickness of about 25 km, and the crustal thickness is estimated to be 17--22 km beneath the IF. Gravity modeling of the profiles confirmed all main aspects of the velocity models and provided constraints on the crustal structures toward the ends of the profiles where the ray coverage was low. ¿ 2001 American Geophysical Union