The 2010-2012 Canterbury Earthquake Sequence: pushing the limits of geological seismology using backyard science

The Canterbury earthquake sequence (CES) started with the 2010 moment magnitude (Mw) 7.1 Darfield earthquake and includes thousands of Mw ≥ 3 aftershocks, most notably the fatal 22 February Mw 6.2 Christchurch earthquake.

Dr Quigley described how the largest CES earthquakes caused geologic and geomorphic processes that changed the Canterbury landscape. Some of these changes lasted only hours and others will persist in the geologic record for thousands to millions of years or longer.

Using numerous examples, he described how careful documentation of the geomorphic and geologic effects of the Canterbury earthquake sequence, and comparing these with instrumental seismic data, is important because it helps to define the seismic thresholds for generating these phenomena and it enables paleoseismologists to better interpret these features when they are observed in the geologic record.

Dr Quigley’s heavily illustrated talk summarised the impacts of the Canterbury earthquake sequence and showed new evidence for the timing, extent, and conditions of prehistoric earthquakes in the Canterbury region, including penultimate rupture on the Greendale Fault, prehistoric liquefaction in eastern Christchurch, and prehistoric rockfall in the Port Hills south of Christchurch.

Better attention to the geologic record will help us to avoid further land planning mistakes and increase societal and financial resilience to future earthquakes both in Christchurch and elsewhere in New Zealand.

Dr. Mark C. Quigley is Senior Lecturer in Active Tectonics and Geomorphology in the Department of Geological Sciences at the University of Canterbury. www.drquigs.com/

Professor Brian Foster presented his lecture entitled “Einstein’s Universe” at the Municipal Theatre, Napier, on Tuesday 16 July. He was accompanied by violinist Jack Liebeck. Their illustrated talk covered the grand sweep of modern physics – from Einstein’s Theory of Relativity to the Large Hadron Collider and the Higgs Boson – illustrated with the violin music that Einstein loved to play.

Widely acclaimed in the press and featured on the BBC, Brian and Jack have presented the illustrated talk Einstein’s Universe around the world and toured New Zealand in July 2013.

Brian Foster is Professor of Experimental Physics at Oxford and Alexander von Humboldt Professor at the University of Hamburg. He is European Director of the Linear Collider Collaboration at CERN, Switzerland.

Jack Liebeck, ‘Young British Performer of the Year’ and founder of The Fibonacci Sequence, has established a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting young violinists. He has appeared in major venues across Europe and recorded to enormous critical acclaim both on CD and with the BBC. Jack plays the ‘Ex-Wilhelmj’ Guadagnini dated 1785.

The lecture was followed at the same venue by a concert of chamber music that Einstein played and loved. This special event was organised by Chamber Music New Zealand and the Royal Society of New Zealand.  It featured Jack Liebeck, Victoria Sayles (violin), Julia Joyce (viola), Andrew Joyce (cello) and Stephen De Pledge (piano). The music was varied, with different combinations of members in each of four main sets.