AF8 Science Talk - Planning for the next big earthquake

Dr Caroline Orchiston from Otago University’s Centre for Sustainability, is the Science Lead for Project AF8. For the AF8 Science series she speaks on the topic of: Planning for the Next Big Earthquake

[@tbchristie6962]

Hi Caroline 👋, Awesome scientific research.

[@LossyLossnitzer]

Thank you for sharing - Love these types of talks

[@samstock6565]

1:35 - You say the Australian plate is diving down beneath the Pacific plate but the diagram says otherwise. Arrow pointing the Pacific to dive under the Australian

[@Chris.Davies]

Nope. It changes from south to north. In the South Island, the Australian plate is diving under the Pacific Plate, and in the North Island, the Pacific plate is diving under the Australian Plate. In Marlborough, they are grinding sideways. That is why tectonically, NZ is such a mess, and why, in 100 million years from now, it'll be where Japan is now, and the only part of the world not to be reconnected to the new supercontinent. And why Zealandia will be about 4 to 10 times larger than it is now.

[@samstock6565]

@@Chris.Davies very interesting! Thanks for explaining.

[@Chris.Davies]

I hope I do not live to see it happen. But let me tell you, I'd rather be in the South Island when the Alpine fault lets go than in the North Island when Taupo next erupts. Taupo supervolcano has the added "bonus" of changing the climate in a major way.