New Zealand Active Faults Database: the high-resolution dataset v2.0

Abstract

ABSTRACT The New Zealand Active Faults Database (NZAFD) contains underpinning data to help mitigate the impacts of future surface-rupturing earthquakes in Aotearoa New Zealand. However, defining the associated hazards and risks must be undertaken at relevant scales and as such, the NZAFD contains two scale-based datasets each serving complementary, but different, purposes. The high-resolution (‘NZAFD-HighRes’) dataset contains enough detail on surface traces for cadastral scale land-use planning purposes, while the other dataset is generalised to 1:250,000 scale (‘NZAFD-AF250’). Here we document for the first time the NZAFD-HighRes dataset (v2.0) and describe the recent efforts that have focused on updating the dataset structure to increase useability, compiling data and improving GIS infrastructure. The NZAFD-HighRes and NZAFD-AF250 datasets, along with Fault Avoidance Zones and Fault Awareness Areas – land-use planning tools used to mitigate surface rupture hazard – are publicly accessible via the active faults web service and a webmap application at https://data.gns.cri.nz/af/. This upgraded webmap enables active fault data to be discovered and used for informing future surface rupture hazard assessments. The relationship of the NZAFD to other active fault datasets and models is also discussed, along with future directions and challenges.