Paleoseismic History of New Zealand's Akatore Fault
Updated 3mo ago
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Description
Paleoseismic data constrains at least three reverse fault ruptures on the Akatore Fault between 13,314 B.C. and 1278 A.D. The study, presented by the Australian Ocean Data Network, uses trenching, GPR profiles, and sediment analyses to define event timing, displacement, and fault behavior. It suggests the fault exhibits strong aperiodicity, ending a minimum 110,000-year period of quiescence.
Use Cases
Model earthquake recurrence intervals using the constrained event dates (13,314 B.C. to 680 A.D., 737 to 960 A.D., 1047 to 1278 A.D.) and the calculated 670–5110 year range.
Estimate fault slip rates for hazard assessment using the provided 0.3–2.4 mm/yr range and single-event displacement values of 1.6–2.7 m.
Analyze fault aperiodicity by comparing the recent active period against the preceding 110,000-year quiescence period indicated by the 125 ka marine terrace displacement.
Calibrate seismic hazard models for nearby Dunedin using the inferred continuation of high earthquake rates from the paleoseismic record.
Strengths
Event timing is constrained with radiocarbon or other dating methods, providing specific date ranges for three paleoearthquakes.
Analysis integrates multiple data sources: two trench exposures, GPR profiles, and sediment analyses.
Provides quantitative fault parameters including displacement (1.6–2.7 m), slip rate (0.3–2.4 mm/yr), and recurrence interval (670–5110 years).
Limitations
Sample size is limited to evidence from two trench sites, which may not capture the full fault rupture history.
Date ranges for events are broad (spanning centuries), introducing uncertainty in precise timing.
The data is primarily contained in a narrative HTML report, not a structured, machine-readable table.
Provenance
Source
Australian Ocean Data Network
Collection Method
Field-based paleoseismic study involving trench excavation, ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiling, and sedimentological analysis.
Time Range
Covers paleoseismic events from 13,314 B.C. to 1278 A.D., with context from a 125,000-year-old marine terrace.
Freshness
Last updated metadata indicates 2026-04-04, but the underlying study data is likely older.
Geography
Akatore Fault, Otago region, New Zealand.
Data is presented in an HTML narrative format, not as a standard dataset file (CSV, JSON); key parameters and interpretations must be extracted from the text.