Coasts & Oceans
New Thinking
A deeper connection – sonar gets smarter
Electronic Navigation Ltd (ENL) and Industrial Research Ltd (IRL) have signed a long-term co-funding agreement that promises to underpin next-generation innovation at New Zealand’s premier marine electronics company and strengthen the country’s advanced sonar systems capability.
Volcano collapse underlines threat of tsunami
NIWA scientists have found that a volcanic cone on Rumble III, 200km northeast of Auckland, has crumbled. Marine geologist Richard Wysoczanski said there's no doubt some of these slips can cause tsunami.
Scientists investigate ocean floor minerals
NIWA’s research vessel Tangaroa will set sail next week to explore the minerals potential of deep-sea volcanoes of the Kermadec Arc, 200 km north-east of Auckland.
NZ’s deep-sea research boosted by new partnership
Two New Zealand research organisations will work closely with one of the world’s leading ocean research and engineering organisations to accelerate research and exploration in a wide range of oceanographic topics in the southwest Pacific region.
Science Of Sand
For many of us, summer isn’t summer without getting some sand between our toes. But did you ever wonder what that sand is made of, and how it got there? Dr Terry Hume of NIWA, is the man to ask.
Scientists set sail to study live whales
NIWA is providing its ship Tangaroa to take 18 scientists from New Zealand and Australia to the Southern Ocean next month to conduct research on the live whale population.
Iceberg on its way to our shores
A massive iceberg spotted southwest of New Zealand could be moving closer, says NIWA.
Sea finds get scientists delving deep for names
A ‘Rasta’, a ‘Wee Scots’, and a ‘Squat Lobster’: three new and unusual discoveries revealed by a NIWA deep-sea survey of marine biodiversity on the Chatham Rise.
Joint NIWA/GNS Science team to study Tsunami impacts
A team of New Zealand scientists and engineers will travel to Samoa this weekend to gather information on the impact of the September 30 tsunami on coastal communities and infrastructure.
Dead whale to be sunk for science
A 40-tonne sperm whale which died in Golden Bay will be towed to deeper east coast waters and sunk in the interests of science.
New Science
Ocean dwellers miss the census
New Zealand seas are teeming with unidentified creatures which may have properties ranging from combating pollution to fighting cancer, say NIWA scientists involved in a project to catalogue marine life.
Rare seafloor chimney cut up for science
GNS Scientists have sliced up a rare 2.5m-tall seafloor chimney to find out its age and the concentrations of the metallic minerals it contains. It is thought to be one of the largest chimneys recovered from the seafloor.
Creatures from the deep
New Zealand could have up to 50,000 marine species waiting to be discovered, say scientists who have spent 10 years exploring the marine life in our waters.
Carnivorous NZ sponge among top 10 new species
A New Zealand sponge has been selected for the prestigious international Top 10 species of the year. Each year, an international Top 10 New Species selection committee selects the 10 most notable new species described from around the world.
Survey reveals diversity of plant and fish species
A survey of the Bay of Islands' marine life and supporting ecosystems is nearing completion, and reveals diversity Of plant And fish species In The Bay Of Islands.
Like waves in a bathtub – the Chile tsunami
The results from 19 sea-level gauges around New Zealand reveal that six locations had peak wave heights of over one metre generated by a magnitude 8.8 earthquake off Chile on 27 February.
NIWA's 'show-off piece' may be new species
A small sea creature, found in the murky, mysterious depths of the Kermadec Ridge, is causing a stir among scientists.
Deepest-dwelling fish in Southern Hemisphere photographed
NIWA scientists have photographed the deepest fish in the Southern Hemisphere - over 7km down.
Spectacular oceanic bloom identified
NIWA scientists have identified the source of the giant plankton bloom featuring in spectacular NASA satellite images.
Ancient creatures re-discovered thriving in southern New Zealand
Some of the world’s most ancient and fascinating animals have been re-discovered in southern New Zealand. Prospects for their survival look good – provided groundwaters and wetlands are protected.
New Value
Download the seabed!
Highly detailed maps of New Zealand’s seabed are now freely available on NIWA’s website. The high-resolution maps show the hidden seabed of the deep sea around the country in incredible digital detail, making them a treasure for all New Zealanders.
King of the Crabs
A major study of the king crabs from the New Zealand, Australian, and Ross Sea regions has just been completed, finding a total of 23 species and almost doubling the number of previously known species from the area. Dr Ahyong has described five exclusively from New Zealand, five from Australia, and four common to both regions.
Even the paint is from New Zealand
When the NIWA research vessel Tangaroa goes to a Singaporean shipyard in July, it will carry all its own hull paint from New Zealand.
Rare honour for Antarctic researcher
IRL senior scientist Dr Tim Haskell has joined an elite group of Antarctic explorers and scientists by having a geographic feature in the region named after him.
Study models likely destruction from tsunami
A tsunami triggered by a massive South American earthquake would swamp Auckland motorways, coastal roads and low-lying bays, a new study has found. Click here to see map of possibly affected areas.
NIWA reveals seabed treasures
For the first time Cook Strait seafloor is revealed in high definition. NIWA underwater imagery shows the vast and complex features of one of the world's most energetic stretches of water.
Bigger, better Bluff oysters…bon appétit!
According to the latest NIWA survey of the Foveaux Strait oyster beds, bigger, better, Bluff oysters look set to be on the menu when the 2009 oyster season opens on Sunday.
New Te Papa attraction offers stunning deep-sea ride
Exploring New Zealand's deep sea territory has become accessible to everyone with Te Papa opening a new attraction that takes visitors on a virtual ride to the bottom of the sea to hunt for submarine volcanoes.
Know your beach with Coastal Explorer
Coastal Explorer is a new NIWA web tool to help people understand beaches, manage coastal hazards, and safeguard lives & property.
Exploring NZ's Undersea Treasures
Modern-day explorers use high-tech equipment to explore earth's last great frontier - the ocean floor. Join GNS Science's Cornel de Ronde in this fascinating Australian TV documentary as he explains the discovery of huge submarine volcanoes, weird marine creatures, and large mineral deposits on New Zealand's seafloor.
