Kelvin Berryman (Image: Stuff.co.nz) The following questions were posted by a Christchurch resident on our GNS Science Facebook page. I think they are good questions which will be of interest to many people in the quake affected area. I have re- posted them here, along with answers provided by Kelvin Berryman, a leading earthquake scientist at […]
Christchurch Quake Q&As 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 »
Today I have been in the Port Hills of Christchurch with Chris Massey, an engineering geologist in the GNS Science Active Landscapes team. Chris is part of a team undertaking a detailed study of the rockfalls that have been triggered in and around Christchurch as a result of the recent earthquakes. The aim of his
Rockfall impacts from the Christchurch ‘Quake 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 »
For the latest on the Alpine fault drilling visit Rupert’s Blog This NASA photo of the South Island of New Zealand shows the green of lowland vegetation contrasting clearly with snow in the mountains of the Southern Alps. The straight edge of the mountains is the line of the famous Alpine Fault. This fault is
New Zealand’s Alpine Fault Read More »
New Zealanders know by first hand experience that living on top of a plate boundary makes life unpredictable. The recent earthquake in Christchurch was just the latest example of that. I recently had the privilege of interviewing several Kiwis who had experienced first hand the power of a tsunami. Luckily for them they all escaped
LEARNZ is a unique kiwi organisation that runs ‘virtual’ field trips for primary and secondary schools in New Zealand. Using videos, audioconferences and internet based information, school kids are able to interact with scientists and other expert professionals in different parts of New Zealand. LEARNZ even runs virtual field trips to Scott Base in Antarctica.
The Wellington Fault with LEARNZ Read More »
See the video of our visit to White Island: Here’s a bit more about what we did during our day on there: Karen and Agnes set off with their water monitoring equipment, whilst Brad, Steve and I started the elevation survey, measuring height differences between an extended series of fixed points that had been marked
Last week I visited the GNS Science office at Wairakei, just outside Taupo. This is where a lot of research is done into New Zealand volcanoes and geothermal fields. First up this morning was a trip to White Island, One of the most frequently active volcanoes in New Zealand, where I assisted a small team