Seaward Slide, J.Thomson @ GNS science Rockfalls and landslides were one of the dramatic consequences of the M7.8 Kaikoura Quake. This first photo shows one that is actually so huge that you might not at first recognise it for what it is. The white cliff in the distance is the landslide scarp and the huge […]
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 »
Hooker Valley rockfall. – Simon Cox / GNS Science On the evening of Monday 14th July there was a large rockfall from the western slopes of Mount Cook into the Hooker Valley. Staff from the Department of Conservation and GNS Scientist Simon Cox flew over the area to make assessments of the impact. The first photo shows
Mount Cook Rockfall Read More »
Simon Cox GNS Science M. McSaveney GNS Science Slip Stream is a tributary to the Dart River in the South Island of New Zealand. There has been an active landslide here for several thousand years, periodically sending down lobes of debris to gradually build up a large fan in the Dart Valley. There was
The Dart Landslide Read More »
Mount Cook rock avalanche 1991. Lloyd Homer, GNS Science On 14th December 1991 a massive rock avalanche occurred from the East Face of Aoraki /Mount Cook, sending an estimated 14 million cubic metres of rock in a 1.5 kilometre wide cascade across the grand plateau and down onto the Tasman Glacier. It is thought that
The Changing Height of Mount Cook Read More »
Dougal Townsend of GNS Science was part of a team that flew over Marlborough to assess the impact of the recent earthquakes on the landscape and infrastructure. Although relatively minor compared to those that impacted the Christchurch area in 2010 and 2011, there were nonetheless some isolated, but significant effects. All these photos were taken
Earthquake impacts in Marlborough seen from the air Read More »
Lake Tutira is a scenic spot on the route between Napier and Wairoa in northern Hawkes Bay. It is in a very rural setting, surrounded by steep hillsides and farmland. The landscape around the lake contains several powerful geological stories. The first is that the hills themselves, made up of rocks that are about 1.8
Lake Tutira – tectonic uplift, ice ages, landslides and cyclones Read More »
In this video Garth Archibald explains the use of a laser to monitor rockfall hazards in built up areas around Christchurch City: In the second video, Chris Massey analyses rock fall trajectories in the Port Hills to calculate future risks to housing:
Videos of Christchurch Rockfall Research Read More »
This week I have been with Garth Archibald, surveying areas in Christchurch that have been affected by rockfalls and slips. These surveys provide data which is used to calculate the stability of cliffs and slopes, and this provides useful information to planners and geotechnical engineers. At Redcliffs, Garth set up his laser scanner to make
Rockfalls and slips in Christchurch Read More »