Quaternary slip rate and geomorphology of the Alpine fault: Implications for kinematics and seismic hazard in southwest New Zealand

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2006 Quaternary slip rate and geomorphology of the Alpine fault: Implications for kinematics and seismic hazard in southwest New Zealand Rupert Sutherland; Rupert Sutherland 1Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kelvin Berryman; Kelvin Berryman 1Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Richard Norris Richard Norris 2University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Rupert Sutherland 1Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Kelvin Berryman 1Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, P.O. Box 30-368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand Richard Norris 2University of Otago, P.O. Box 56, Dunedin, New Zealand Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 22 Apr 2004 Revision Received: 09 Aug 2005 Accepted: 25 Aug 2005 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2006) 118 (3-4): 464–474. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25627.1 Article history Received: 22 Apr 2004 Revision Received: 09 Aug 2005 Accepted: 25 Aug 2005 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Rupert Sutherland, Kelvin Berryman, Richard Norris; Quaternary slip rate and geomorphology of the Alpine fault: Implications for kinematics and seismic hazard in southwest New Zealand. GSA Bulletin 2006;; 118 (3-4): 464–474. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B25627.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Glacial landforms at 12 localities in 9 river valleys are offset by the southern end of the onshore Alpine fault. Offsets cluster at ∼435, 1240, and 1850 m, consistent with evidence for glacial retreat at 18, 58, and 79 calendar ka. The peak of an offset fluvial aggradation surface is correlated with the Last Glacial Maximum at 22 ka. Displacement rates derived from features aged 18, 22, 58, and 79 cal. ka are 24.2 ± 2.2, 23.2 ± 4.9, 21.4 ± 2.6, and 23.5 ± 2.7 mm/yr, respectively, with uncertainties at the 95% confidence level. The joint probability, weighted mean, and arithmetic mean of all observations pooled by rank are 23.1 ± 1.5, 23.2 ± 1.4, and 23.1 ± 1.7 mm/yr, respectively. We conclude that the mean surface displacement rate for this section of the Alpine fault is 23.1 mm/yr, with standard error in the range of 0.7–0.9 mm/yr. The reduction in estimated long-term slip rate from 26 ± 6 mm/yr to 23 ± 2 mm/yr results in an increase in estimated hazard associated with faulting distributed across the rest of the plate boundary. Model-dependent probabilities of Alpine fault rupture within the next 50 yr are in the range 14%–29%. The 36 ± 3 mm/yr of total plate motion (NUVEL-1A) is partitioned into 23 ± 2 mm/yr of Alpine fault dextral strike slip, 12 ± 4 mm/yr of horizontal motion by clockwise block rotations and oblique dextral-reverse faulting up to 80 km southeast of the Alpine fault, and 5 ± 3 mm/yr of heave on reverse faults at the peripheries of the plate boundary. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.