J,.Thomson @ GNS Science On the ground in the Kaikoura Quake aftermath: Following the recent M7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake, a number of teams of scientists have been deployed to survey the geological impacts and assess the potential ongoing risks to people and infrastructure. This gallery of images shows some of the numerous dramatic impacts of the quake […]
A Ruptured Landscape Read More »
Greg Browne. Image Julian Thomson @ GNS Science In New Zealand there is only one area (with six individual locations not far from each other) in which dinosaur footprints have been identified. This is in NW Nelson in the South Island. They were discovered and researched by Greg Browne, a sedimentologist at GNS Science who
Tracking Dinosaurs in NW Nelson Read More »
The Alpine Fault has been the focus of a lot of research over recent years, including the Deep Fault Drilling Project, Alpine Lake Sediment Research and the Earthquake Records at Hokuri Creek amongst them. These are building a much clearer picture of the history of previous fault ruptures, and allowing better estimates of the size
Digging into the Alpine Fault Read More »
Ruapehu Eruption, Image: Lloyd Homer@GNS Science Ruapehu is very popular with skiers, trampers and other adventurers. As an active volcano with the potential for sudden eruptions through its crater lake, Ruapehu presents the Department of Conservation with a significant hazard management issue. Lahars on Ruapehu: Image: Lloyd Homer@GNS Science Obviously there is the possibility of
Making Movies is an Auckland based film company that creates adventure and nature documentaries. I was asked to help with the script editing and presentation on a movie about the mountains of New Zealand. This involved spending time with the film team in the Southern Alps, amongst some of the most spectacular landscapes in New
Beneath New Zealand 1 Documentary Read More »
The National Seismic Hazard Model is the result of lots of work by scientists to indicate the likelihood of earthquakes happening in different parts of New Zealand. It is made with reference to the historic record of earthquakes that have happened across the country, combined with research into the rupture histories of many individual active
Precarious Boulders and Earthquakes Read More »
Last week I was involved in a NASA Spaceward Bound meeting in Te Takinga Marae in Rotorua. The purpose of the meeting was to promote interest in Planetary Geology and Astrobiology, and it was attended by about 50 scientists, educators, undergraduates and school students from New Zealand, Australia, the USA, Romania, the UK and Kazakhstan.
NASA comes to Rotorua Read More »
GNS Science, in partnership with a team from the University Gadjah Mada (UGM) in Yogyakarta, is involved in a 5 year project to reduce the risks caused by natural disasters in Indonesia. Coastline, West Sumatra J.Thomson@GNS Science Indonesia is a huge and very diverse country, made up of about 20 000 separate islands, with
Disaster Risk Reduction in Indonesia Read More »
About 10 days ago, drilling was stopped at the Alpine Fault drill site so that geophysical measurements could be made down the borehole, and the bit could be replaced. This involved lifting all of the drill rods out one by one and stacking them next to the rig. Next to come up was the bottom
Bottom Hole Assembly Read More »
Rupert Sutherland with DFDP-2 flags Whilst researchers continue to pull together the history of past Alpine Fault earthquakes, the Deep Fault Drilling Programme is well underway in Whataroa on the West Coast of the South Island. For an introduction to this project have a look at my blog and video here, or check out the
Phase 2 Alpine Fault Drilling Read More »