Paleo-quakes illuminate earthquake gates in New Zealand Posted on
Citation: Samuels, F. M. D., 2021, Paleo-quakes illuminate earthquake gates in New Zealand, Temblor, http://doi.org/10.32858/temblor.177
New Zealand’s Alpine Fault cuts 530 miles (850 kilometers) along the western edge of Te Waipounamu the South Island and marks the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. A Few Māori oral histories and tree rings document the most recent rupture along this fault likely a magnitude-8.1 in 1717. This fault releases a steady beat of large earthquakes through time, and scientists know that the area is due for another event. “Using a credible scenario for the Alpine Fault is the best way we can imagine what this event might be like it gives us the power of the hypothetical,” says Caroline Orchiston, the science lead for Alpine Fault Magnitude 8 (AF8), a national program that links scientists with the public to prepare for the next Alpine Fault e