GSNZ Otago branch talk
Earthquakes in the south: when, where, and why?
with Jack Williams, University of Otago
I will provide an overview of a 3-year Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake funded project to investigate active faults and seismic hazard in Southland and southern Otago. A multidisciplinary dataset was used to conduct this research: paleoseismic investigations, a temporary seismic array, use of new lidar coverage to map active faults, earthquake forecasts from the 2022 National Seismic Hazard Model (NSHM), and physics-based earthquake simulators. From these data, I will explore questions such as: why the seismogenic crust thins from 30 to 15 km between Southland and Otago, the role of pre-existing geologic structures on modern day plate boundary deformation, and why the 2022 NSHM indicates higher seismic hazard values in southern New Zealand than previous models. Cumulatively, our research in the lower South Island demonstrates that it is an outstanding natural laboratory for studying earthquakes at the peripheral edge of a plate boundary.
All are welcome to attend.
As usual, the talk will be streamed live (but not recorded) at https://bit.ly/otagogeology.
The Geoscience Society typically head out for dinner and drinks after the talk at a local venue and all are welcome to join.