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The MW7.8 14 November 2016 Kaikoura earthquake generated more than 10000 landslides over a total area of about 10000 km2, with the majority concentrated in a smaller area of about 3600 km2. The largest landslide triggered by the earthquake had an approximate volume of 20 (±2) M m3, with a runout distance of about 2.7 km, forming a dam on the Hapuku River. In this paper, we present version 1.0 of the landslide inventory we have created for this event. We use the inventory presented in this paper to identify and discuss some of the controls on the spatial distribution of landslides triggered by the Kaikoura earthquake. Our main findings are: 1) the number of medium to large landslides (source area 10000 m2) triggered by the Kaikoura earthquake is smaller than for similar sized landslides triggered by similar magnitude earthquakes in New Zealand; 2) seven of the largest eight landslides (from 5 to 20 x 106 m3) occurred on faults that ruptured to the surface during the earthquake; 3) the average landslide density within 200 m of a mapped surface fault rupture is three times that at a distance of 2500 m or more from a mapped surface fault rupture ; 4) the "distance to fault" predictor variable, when used as a proxy for ground-motion intensity, and when combined with slope angle, geology and elevation variables, has more power in predicting landslide probability than the PGA or PGV variables typically adopted for modelling; and 5) for the same slope angles, the coastal slopes have landslide point densities that are an order of magnitude greater than those in similar materials on the inland slopes, but their source areas are significantly smaller.
Breccia-filled eruption conduits are dynamic systems where pressures frequently exceed critical thresholds, generating earthquakes and transmitting fluids. To assess the dynamics of breccia-filled conduits, we examine lava, ash tuff, and hydrothermal breccia ballistics with varying alteration, veining, fractures, and brecciation ejected during the 27 April 2016 phreatic eruption of Whakaari/White Island. We measure connected porosity, strength, and permeability with and without tensile fractures at a range of confining pressures. Many samples are progressively altered with anhydrite, alunite, and silica polymorphs. The measurements show a large range of connected porosity, permeability, and strength. In contrast, the cracked samples show a consistently high permeability. The cracked altered samples have a permeability more sensitive to confining pressure than the unaltered samples. The permeability of our altered ballistics is lower than surface rocks of equivalent porosity, illustrating that mineral precipitation locally blocked pores and cracks. We surmise that alteration within the conduit breccia allows cracks to form, open and close, in response to pore pressure and confining pressure, providing a mechanism for frequent and variable fluid advection pulses to the surface. This produces temporally and spatially variable geophysical and geochemical observations and has implications for volcano monitoring for any volcano system with significant hydrothermal activity.
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