The Alpine Fault, New Zealand: Surface geology and field relationships

Shallow fault segmentation of the Alpine fault zone, New Zealand revealed from 2- and 3-D GPR surveying

“…It extends for at least 800 km and accommodates around two thirds of the 30-40 mm/year of relative convergence between the Pacific and Australian Plates (Sutherland et al, 2007). Although the fault zone appears to be remarkably straight on aerial photographs, detailed mapping shows that in places it exhibits recent short enechelon strands and stepovers, typical of a strike-slip fault (Berryman et al, 1992;Sutherland and Norris, 1995;Norris and Cooper, 2007).…”

Deriving a long paleoseismic record from a shallow-water Holocene basin next to the Alpine fault, New Zealand

“…1A; Norris and Cooper, 2001;Sutherland et al, 2006). With a strike-slip rate of 23-31 mm/yr (Barnes, 2009;Norris and Cooper, 2007;Sutherland et al, 2006), it is one of the fastest-slipping faults in the world and is considered to rupture in large to great earthquakes (Sutherland et al, 2007). The Alpine fault has a remarkably straight 400 km onshore trace at the western edge of the Southern Alps ( Fig.…”

First seismic imaging results of tectonically complex structures at shallow depths beneath the northwest Canterbury Plains, New Zealand

“…1b). The Alpine Fault accommodates about 70% of the 30-40 mm/yr oblique plate convergence (Beavan and Haines, 2001;Sutherland and Berryman, 2006;Norris and Cooper, 2007), with the remaining plate motion being taken up by smaller networks of active faults that may extend to middle and lower crustal depths . One such network is the Porters Pass-Amberley Fault Zone in the hills adjacent to the northwest margin of the Canterbury Plains ( Fig.…”