Geology & Seismology
New Thinking
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.
Major petroluem geosience project commences
GNS Science has started a major two-year work programme that will substantially increase the quality and quantity of geoscience information available to the oil and gas exploration industry in New Zealand.
NZ and Japan combine in Wellington quake study
New Zealand and Japanese scientists are combining forces to investigate the boundary between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates under Wellington to better understand its threat to New Zealand.
The fascinating world of fossil finding
GNS palaeontologist James Crampton is urging Kiwis to get digging and start exploring the rock and river beds around them for fossils.
NZ scientists to gather data for Disaster Plan
Geologists from GNS Science will spend the next six months collecting information on buildings and infrastructure in Pacific Island countries to measure vulnerability and risk from earthquakes and cyclones in the southwest Pacific.
Fiordland continues to rumble
GNS Science geologist Dr Gill Jolly says aftershocks of the 7.8 earthquake centred 100km southwest of Te Anau that struck on July 15 last year were still being felt.
Quake brings cooler times at Welcome Flat
GNS Science monitoring shows South Westland's celebrated Welcome Flat hot pools have become a little less welcoming.
When will the next big eruption happen?
GNS Science volcanologist Dr Gill Jolly says although there have been 25 "little" volcanic eruptions in the central North Island in geologically recent times, it is 1800 years since the last big one.
Dinosaur footprints discovered in South Island
GNS Science geologist Greg Browne has found 70 million-year-old dinosaur footprints in northwest Nelson.
Our Australian cousins just got closer
The South Island has been twisted out of shape and shoved closer to Australia by last week's massive Fiordland earthquake says GNS Science GeoNet project director Ken Gledhill showing the immensity of the forces involved.
New Science
Two quakes caused Samoan tsunami
GNS Scientists report that a rare combination of two massive earthquakes happening almost simultaneously triggered the tsunami that devastated parts of Samoa and Tonga.
Scientists plan to drill deep into Alpine Fault
GNS Science says that top international scientists are eyeing up a scrubby West Coast stream bed to carry out multimillion-dollar research into New Zealand's major "earthquake machine".
Faultless Northland shown in new geological map
A new geological map, published by GNS Science, covering central Northland shows the region has no known active faults.
Solander Island much younger than previously thought
Solander Island, 40km south of the Fiordland coast, has been found to be geologically much younger than previously thought.
No signs of `slow' quake triggering Earth-shaking
Scientists analysing a series of "slow quakes" around Gisborne say they have not yet seen any evidence to support suspicions that the event, where one tectonic plate is diving under another, can trigger conventional earthquakes closer to the surface.
Positive signs for Reinga Basin
Seismic and satellite data show that the Reinga Basin, off the northwest coast of the North Island, is one of the most prospective frontier basins in the New Zealand region, a report by GNS Science says.
Wellington's 'big one' likely to take some time
"It's Our Fault" - a seven-year project, co-ordinated by GNS science is aimed at getting a better understanding of when the city might next be hit by a big quake and what effect it might have. The project has just passed the halfway stage and the early signs are Wellingtonians can relax a little.
Fiordland quake biggest for 80 years
It struck at 9:22 pm on 15 July, and the epicentre was located in Dusky Sound at the south-west corner of the South Island. Its magnitude of 7.8 makes its size comparable with the Buller (or Murchison) earthquake of 1929 and the damaging Hawke's Bay earthquake of 1931.
NZ joins world's largest geoscience programme
With our participation led by GNS Science, New Zealand has joined a major international scientific drilling programme that will collect sediment cores from beneath the seabed in New Zealand waters later this year.
Scientists to probe Alpine Fault
Scientists from around the world are to descend on the West Coast of the South Island to discuss an ambitious plan to drill into the Alpine Fault and learn more about earthquakes.
New Value
South Island to get quake sensors
From next year, GeoNet, a collaboration between the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and GNS Science, will roll out a monitoring station network across the upper South Island as part of a $45 million, five-year programme.
New geological map of Fiordland a decade in the making
Seven summers of fieldwork in remote parts of Fiordland by a group of GNS Science geologists has culminated with the publishing of a new geological map covering this World Heritage area.
Globe Caritas used in major seismic survey
Software from GNS Science is being used to get a first look at New Zealand’s offshore geology as part of a major push to open up new areas for oil exploration.
Earth science book wins Montana Book Award
A book co-published by GNS Science and the Geological Society of New Zealand has won the environment category of the 2009 Montana Book Awards.
Reducing the impact of natural hazards in Vietnam
With support from NZAID, GNS Science, a Crown research institute, has recently completed a two-year project that aims to minimise the impact of earthquakes and tsunamis in Viet Nam.
Earth science book a finalist in 2009 Montana Book Awards
A book co-published by GNS Science and the Geological Society of New Zealand has been selected as a finalist in the 2009 Montana Book Awards.
GNS Science sells software internationally
Crown Research Institute GNS Science has reached a milestone by selling its seismic processing software to international processing provider, Spectrum Geo Limited.
A Continent on the Move
A magnificent new book on earth science in New Zealand went on sale in bookstores recently.
New gauge part of tsunami monitoring network
A sea-level gauge installed at the Port of Tauranga this week will form part of a national network of gauges for monitoring tsunamis.
Borehole instrument boosts earthquake monitoring in Auckland
A new borehole earthquake recorder installed by GNS Science will boost earthquake and volcano monitoring capability in the Auckland region.
