The Alpine Fault marks the boundary of the Pacific and Australian Plates. The Alpine Fault is a geological fault, known as a right-lateral strike-slip fault, that runs almost the entire length of New Zealand's South Island. An earthquake on the Alpine Fault sweeps away old forest and creates large tracts of clear ground for new vegetation to spring up upon. Seismic imaging (Davey et al., 1995) indicates that the central segment of the Alpine Fault dips southeastward at angles of 40-50° to a depth in excess of 25 km (Fig. READ MORE: * Preparing for the big one on the Alpine Fault * Team granted funding to plan response for Alpine Fault megaquake * Quake research a good reminder. Forming the western edge of the Southern Alps, it is clearly visible from space. [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. Updating list... 20 - 25 of 26 reviews. A number of outstanding problems remain in regard to the Alpine Fault, two of which are: Alpine Fault movement. Boat Tours in Whataroa; Bus Tours in Whataroa; Walking Tours in Whataroa The Alpine Fault is believed to align with the Macquarie Fault Zone in the Puysegur Trench off the southwestern corner of the South Island. Alteration Along the Alpine Fault Helps Build Seismic Strain . 01donala. Tree ages in this entire region are therefore clustered around the times of major earthquakes. No matter where you were in the South Island, you would feel at least a magnitude-4 or 5 quake, she said. 2017 is the 300th anniversary of the last major rupture on the 850-km long Alpine Fault. Recent research by GNS Science has extended our knowledge of the Alpine fault earthquake record back through the past 8,000 years. The Alpine Fault runs for over 800km up the spine of the South Island. "I don't think the Alpine Fault will cause uplift in Marlborough; the land going up like it did in the Kaikōura earthquake," van Dissen said. The Alpine Fault runs for about 600km along the west of the Southern Alps. On the go and no time to finish that story right now? 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 Southern Alps have been uplifted over 20 kilometres over 12 million years but erosion has kept their height below 4,000 metres. In the North. 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. 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 . Dr Caroline Orchiston explains the Alpine Fault and the damage the earthquake will have. This year has continued our recent run of declared states of emergency around the country with what will be the largest All of Government response seen in New Zealand probably since the last world … The lack of a historical record for the Alpine Fault means that we must instead examine the geological record left by past ruptures. Movement along this fault has uplifted the Southern Alps and produced large earthquakes. Because of the way earthquake magnitude is measured this means that a magnitude 8 earthquake releases about 30 times more energy than a magnitude 7. 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. There is no way of predicting exactly when an earthquake will occur. The study aims to inform locals and tourists of the significant risk to the area should the Alpine faultline go off. The rapid uplift also means that faulted rock from deep down has been brought to the surface, and can be studied by scientists. Earthquake epicentres indicate that the arc defines the position of the fault just off Fiordland's outer coast and then to near the north end of Puysegur Trench at 46.9° S, 165.25° E. Along the fault vertically to a depth of 10 km the Fiordland rocks are 0.6 Mg/m 3 denser than those to the northwest. 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. The Alpine Fault runs for about 600km up the spine of the South Island, and is one of the world’s major geological features. Although the Alpine Fault seems so obvious today, but it was not recognised until 1941 by two … You can pick out the line of the Alpine Fault on this satellite image of the South Island. Alpine Fault Tours, Whataroa Picture: Touching the Alpine Fault! 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. Affect a much larger area than earthquakes such as the Darfield earthquake. Snow on the mountains of the Pacific plate contrasts with the lower land of the Australian plate. "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.". The seismicity rate of the Alpine fault is low but comparable to locked sections of the San Andreas fault, with large earthquakes expected. 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. Share. 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. The Southern Alps have been uplifted on the fault over the last 12 million years in a series of earthquakes. Since September, an international team of scientists has b een based on the West Coast drilling into the Alpine Fault - the on-land boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. Things to do near Alpine Fault Tours. By Alice Lake-Hammond. It’s the part of the active boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates where they intersect on land. 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. London, United Kingdom. Helpful. But most dangers would not appear until after the Alpine Fault earthquake, Orchiston said. It forms a boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate . The Alpine Fault is called a strike slip or transform fault. Regardless of the epicentre, Marlborough was looking at an intensity 6 or 7 earthquake on the Mercalli scale when the Alpine Fault finally gave. Camp Glenorchy project manager Steve Hewland talks about the resilience factors of the newly-built camping ground near Queenstown. 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. Filter. When the Alpine Fault next ruptures it is likely to produce an earthquake with a magnitude of around 8. Caroline Orchiston says the Alpine Fault is a "spectacular" fault. The Alpine Fault runs 400km up the South Island, along the western edge of the Southern Alps. 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 … The Alpine Fault was inferred to continue south-west from Lake McKerrow along the northern Fiord-land Coast (see also Grindley, 1958). "We call those long-term issues secondary hazards and these hazards can be more extreme than the earthquake itself.". Scientists believe the Alpine Fault has a high probability (estimated at 30%) of rupturing in the next 50 years. Image: LEARNZ. The length of the rupture will be … Motion on the fault is in a direction that plunges approximately 22°, indicating that the fault in … 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. 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. 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. The Alpine Fault is a geological fault that runs almost the entire length of New Zealand's South Island (c. 480 km) and forms the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate. Things to do near Alpine Fault Tours. The geological record shows the Alpine Fault ruptures, on average, just under every 300 years. 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