An earthquake on the Alpine Fault sweeps away old forest and creates large tracts of clear ground for new vegetation to spring up upon. The Alpine Fault was inferred to continue south-west from Lake McKerrow along the northern Fiord-land Coast (see also Grindley, 1958). Each time it has ruptured, it has also moved vertically, lifting the Southern Alps in the process. Although the Alpine Fault seems so obvious today, but it was not recognised until 1941 by two … New Zealand, Kā Roimata o Hine Hukatere - Franz Josef Glacier, Likely rupture along a larger area of the fault (several hundreds of kilometres), It will last longer (hundreds of seconds rather than tens of seconds). Tree ages in this entire region are therefore clustered around the times of major earthquakes. Scientists believe the Alpine Fault has a high probability (estimated at 30%) of rupturing in the next 50 years. The massive Alpine Fault is due for another big earthquake and scientists have been drawing up a scenario of what the devastation would look like. Whataroa Tourism; Whataroa Accommodation; Whataroa Bed and Breakfast; Whataroa Holiday Rentals; Whataroa Holiday Packages; Whataroa Flights; Whataroa Restaurants Studies at Alpine Fault excavation sites showed a large earthquake occurred on the fault every 300 years or so, with the last one occurring in 1717. Regardless of the epicentre, Marlborough was looking at an intensity 6 or 7 earthquake on the Mercalli scale when the Alpine Fault finally gave. It passes offshore in South Westland (bottom left), and is responsible for … Athy 19 contributions 4 helpful votes. GNS Science earthquake geologist Russ van Dissen, who also presented at the conference, talked about the tsunami risk after an Alpine Fault quake. The Alpine Fault, which runs about 600km up the western side of the South Island between Milford Sound and Marlborough, poses one of the biggest natural threats to New Zealand - especially the West Coast, Canterbury and Otago. Dr Caroline Orchiston explains the Alpine Fault and the damage the earthquake will have. These include the Clarence, Awatere and Hope Faults, all of which take some of the seismic load off the northern part of the Alpine Fault and transfer it through Marlborough. Less certain is where the megaquake will hit, but the most likely is a south-to-north quake centred at Milford Sound, with intensity-7, 6 and 5 quakes rippling up the South Island. This fault has ruptured four times in the past 900 years, each time producing an earthquake of about magnitude 8. A rupture along the full length of the fast-slipping Alpine Fault on New Zealand's South Island poses the largest potential seismic threat to the southern and central parts of the country. In between earthquakes, the Alpine Fault is locked. "As you can see, there's a potential for more damage up in the northern part of the South Island, where more of the population lives.". The Alpine Fault quickly became accepted as a notable feature of the geology of New Zealand, and by 1948 was included on standard geological maps. Helpful. From there, the Alpine Fault runs along the western edge of the Southern Alps, before splitting into a set of smaller dextral strike-slip faults north of Arthur’s Pass, known as the Marlborough Fault System. The investigation found the mean interval between large earthquakes on the fault is 330 years and two thirds of the intervals were between 260 and 400 years. The scenarios were designed and developed as part of Project AF8, or Alpine Fault Magnitude 8, a partnership of all the Emergency Management Groups in the South Island. The Alpine Fault is where two great tectonic plates push together. Whataroa Tourism; Whataroa Hotels; Whataroa Bed and Breakfast; Whataroa Holiday Rentals; Whataroa Packages; Flights to Whataroa; Whataroa Restaurants; Whataroa Attractions Alpine Fault Tours Exposed, Whataroa: See 24 reviews, articles, and 43 photos of Alpine Fault Tours Exposed, ranked No.3 on Tripadvisor among 4 attractions in Whataroa. PHOTO: PROJECTAF8.CO.NZ “What we know about the Alpine Fault is that it tends to produce big earthquakes, roughly every 300 years,” Dr Orchiston said. How do you think you would be affected by a rupture of the Alpine Fault? Forming the western edge of the Southern Alps, it is clearly visible from space. There were 4 of us on this tour and all enjoyed learning more about the geology of such an impressive landscape. The aftershock sequence could involve earthquakes of as much as M7 and continue for many years, Violent shaking will cause widespread landslides and weaken rock, making landslides more common for many years, Rivers may change course, will carry more sediment and therefore flood more easily, Towns and infrastructure such as roads, bridges, power lines and communication services will be disrupted, West Coast industries such as tourism, coal and gold mining, forestry and wood processing, fishing, and dairy farming will all be affected by an Alpine Fault earthquake. The Otago University study said a 200m wide 'fault avoidance zone' should be created to prevent further development in the area. The Alpine Fault is believed to align with the Macquarie Fault Zone in the Puysegur Trench off the southwestern corner of the South Island. Things to do near Alpine Fault Tours. Alteration Along the Alpine Fault Helps Build Seismic Strain . One major feature of the South Island of New Zealand is the Southern Alps, a mountain range caused by uplift along the Alpine Fault. Imagine what a magnitude-8 earthquake would do. "Marlborough has, tsunami-wise, more to be concerned about from the Hikurangi Trench off the east coast of the North Island, which poses quite a threat.". But most dangers would not appear until after the Alpine Fault earthquake, Orchiston said. The alpine fault earthquake will alter tectonic stress distribution, and other faultlines may rupture in the days or years following it. Recent research by GNS Science has extended our knowledge of the Alpine fault earthquake record back through the past 8,000 years. Although the Alpine Fault accommodates a substantial amount of interplate slip, a significant proportion is distributed to the east within and east of the Southern Alps. Alpine Fault movement. From there, the Alpine Fault runs along the western edge of the Southern Alps, then splits into three parallel faults north of Arthur's Pass , merging into the Kermadec-Tonga Subduction Zone in the Hikurangi Trench off the coast of the North Island. Postal Address: From there, the Alpine Fault runs along the western edge of the Southern Alps, before splitting into a set of smaller dextral strike-slip faults north of Arthur's Pass , known as the Marlborough Fault System . A number of outstanding problems remain in regard to the Alpine Fault, two of which are: This meant that a magnitude 8 earthquake on the Alpine Fault would release 30 times more energy than the 1968 magnitude 7 earthquake at Inangahua, on the South Island's West Coast. It has a clear geologic record of rupturing around every three centuries - and 2017 marked the 300th anniversary of what is thought to have been a magnitude 8 … Image: LEARNZ. Caroline Orchiston says the Alpine Fault is a "spectacular" fault. "We call those long-term issues secondary hazards and these hazards can be more extreme than the earthquake itself.". Reviewed 17 December 2016 via mobile . The length of the rupture will be … Otago University research fellow Caroline Orchiston detailed the group's work at a public meeting in Blenheim on Wednesday. "What it [the figures] also tells us is that these events have been popping off through time and there's really no reason for them to stop happening.". As with many natural systems, there was a spread of intervals with the longest being about 510 years and the shortest about 140 years. Elizabeth, our tour guide, was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic showing off this area of NZ and explaining how the tectonic plates work. The development of the basins of southwest New Zealand is related to the behaviour of the Fiordland microplate, a rigid block of continental crust located between the Moonlight and Alpine fault systems. Dr Caroline Orchiston explains the Alpine Fault and the damage the earthquake will have. The Alpine Fault runs for about 600km up the spine of the South Island, and is one of the world’s major geological features. The lack of a historical record for the Alpine Fault means that we must instead examine the geological record left by past ruptures. From there, the Alpine Fault runs along the western edge of the Southern Alps, before splitting into a set of smaller dextral strike-slip faults north of Arthur's Pass, known as the Marlborough Fault System. At the other end of the straight line the Alpine Fault passes through the Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve. Elisabeth, your guide, has a good knowledge of the Alpine Fault, and to be able to straddle 2 tectonic plates was a real moment to remember. Image: LEARNZ. [Chapter Break] After their groundbreaking paper on the Alpine Fault, Willett was posted to Invercargill and Wellman to another wartime project at d’Urville Island. Read more. The last Alpine Fault quake, which occurred in 1717, measured an approximate magnitude 8.1 - making it about three times stronger than the Kaikoura quake of 2016. Whataroa Tourism; Whataroa Hotels; Whataroa Bed and Breakfast; Whataroa Holiday Rentals; Whataroa Packages; Flights to Whataroa; Whataroa Restaurants; Whataroa Attractions The rupture will produce one of the biggest earthquakes since European settlement of New Zealand, and it will have a major impact on the lives of many people. "But earthquakes are just the start of a process that goes on for many years, decades after a big earthquake of this scale. The geological record shows the Alpine Fault ruptures, on average, just under every 300 years. The 2004 Boxing Day tsunami and the 2011 liquefaction of buildings in Christchurch were two past examples of secondary hazards, she said. Motion on the fault is in a direction that plunges approximately 22°, indicating that the fault in … Alpine Fault Tours began in 2012 when Gray and Vickie Eatwell bought a farm next to the natural exposure of the Alpine Fault, at Gaunt Creek, near Whataroa in South Westland, New Zealand. The Ministry of Civil Defence approved a grant of $680,000 over three years for Project AF8, with work starting in 2016. The Southern Alps have been uplifted on the fault over the last 12 million years in a series of earthquakes. The Alpine Fault runs 400km up the South Island, along the western edge of the Southern Alps. . New evidence of a 19th century earthquake on New Zealand's Alpine fault suggests that in at least one portion of the fault, smaller earthquakes may occur in between such large rupture events. 01donala. "It was scientifically credible, but also it provided probably the most significant test for Civil Defence around the South Island," Orchiston said. 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