Estuarine shore platforms in Whanganui Inlet, South Island, New Zealand

Whanganui Inlet is a low mesotidal environment where wave energy at the shoreline is limited due to a small fetch, a narrow entrance and tidal flat accretion to intertidal elevations. Wave energy is therefore only an erosive force at high tide and under storm conditions. Despite this low-energy environment extensive shore platforms occur within the inlet. They are sub-horizontal and range in width from 4.1 to 185.2 m with an average of 44.9 m. All the platforms are formed in sandstone of low resistance (mean N-type Schmidt Hammer rebound value of 17 ± 8) and have their seaward edges buried by intertidal sediment flats. The majority of platforms occur at around MHWN level, corresponding to the elevation of those flats. Where wave energy is highest, opposite the inlet's entrance and at those sites with the largest fetch, platforms develop to 0.5–1.0 m below MSL. A higher platform level is also found at MHWS elevations, however it appears to be relict with active erosion of its seaward edge occurring and therefore is most likely related to a higher mid-Holocene sea level. Apart from the location of the lowest platforms little correspondence is found between platform morphology and wave energy. Platform evolution appears to be intrinsically linked to the intertidal sediment flats which determine the degree of surface saturation of the bedrock and, hence, the number of wetting and drying cycles the platforms may undergo. As the seaward edge is buried platform development is primarily through retreat of the landward cliff. This process can, however, be complicated by the migration of intertidal water channels onto the seaward edge of the platforms or relative sea level fall which may rejuvenate landward retreat of the low-tide cliff.     

The use of multilevel modeling in evaluating controls on erosion rates on inter-tidal shore platforms,Kaikoura Peninsula,South Island,New Zealand

Repeated measurements of erosion rates on seashore platforms on Kaikoura Peninsula, South Island, New Zealand were gathered over a 28-month period using a micro-erosion meter (MEM). The resultant hierarchical dataset was analysed using multilevel regression modeling. Results indicate that there is persistent variation of rates across measurement occasions within individual points and significant variation is also found across sites (or local ‘contexts’). There is little evidence for significant variation across individual points. The explanatory variables of platform/rock type, distance along platform and seasonality all have a significant effect on the erosion rates and aid the explanation of some of the variation in erosion rates across sites.     

Morphology and structure of a landslide complex in an active margin setting: The Waitawhiti complex, North Island, New Zealand

Multi-scale gravitational instabilities are widespread in the Coastal Ranges of the North Island of New Zealand. We document here a detailed analysis of the Waitawhiti landslide complex, located in the core of the Tawhero syncline, and investigate the potential landslides triggering factors in the area. Four contiguous large slides form the Waitawhiti complex. These slides involve fine-grained Miocene sandstones and massive fractured siltstones. Sliding occurs mostly along nearly horizontal strata. All slides are bounded laterally and/or distally by deep-incised valleys. Three gas seeps evidencing thermogenic gas release have been discovered in the vicinity of the slides. We propose that river incision, continuously removing distal buttresses, is the main destabilizing factor in the area. However, additional factors, such as tectonic activity and intense rainfall, cannot be excluded. We also propose that fluid overpressure, reducing the effective shear strength at the base of low-permeability layers, may have influenced the triggering of landslides in the Waitawhiti area.     

Crustal and upper mantle structure of the northwestern North Island, New Zealand, from seismic refraction data

The crustal and upper mantle structure of the northwestern North Island of New Zealand is derived from the results of a seismic refraction experiment; shots were fired at the ends and middle of a 575 km-long line extending from Lake Taupo to Cape Reinga. The principal finding from the experiment is that the crust is 25 ± 2 km thick, and is underlain by what is interpreted to be an upper mantle of seismic velocity 7.6 ± 0.1 km s⁻¹, that increases to 7.9 km s⁻¹ at a depth of about 45 km. Crustal seismic velocities vary between 5.3 and 6.36 km s⁻¹ with an average value of 6.04 km s⁻¹. There are close geophysical and geological similarities between the north-western North Island of New Zealand and the Basin and Range province of the western United States. In particular, the conditions of low upper-mantle seismic velocities, thin crust with respect to surface elevation, and high heat-flow (70–100 mW m⁻²) observed in these two areas can be ascribed to their respective positions behind an active convergent margin for about the past 20 Myr.     

An analysis of phytolith assemblages for the quantitativereconstruction of late Quaternary environments of the Lower Taieri Plain,Otago, South Island, New Zealand I. Modern assemblages and transferfunctions

An analysis of modern phytolith assemblages is presented.Phytolith assemblages were studied in modern surface soils and sediments of 28sites from east Otago, New Zealand, within a range of vegetation types andmicroclimates. No simple distinction could be made between vegetation types onthe basis of phytolith assemblage composition. A Principal Components Analysis(PCA) of the phytolith data set revealed that festucoid, chloridoid andspherical phytolith morphotypes formed strong associations with sites fromwetland, grassland, and forest vegetation types, respectively. Moreimportantly, a comparison of sample replicates from each field site using Squared ChordDistance (SCD) assemblage analysis showed that wetland and grassland sitestended to produce more internally consistent phytolith assemblages than forestsites. Environmental variables including pH, conductivity, altitude,precipitation and temperature were also gathered for each site. The ability ofeach environmental variable to reflect variance in the entire phytolithdata set was estimated by a series of Redundancy Analyses (RDA) with MonteCarlo permutation tests of statistical significance. After a forward selectionprocess, transfer functions were generated using Partial Least Squares (PLS)regression and calibration with jack-knife validation. The final transferfunctions have root mean squared errors of prediction for pH (0.47), logconductivity (0.38 S cm), average annual precipitation (63mm), and average annual (0.28 °C), spring (0.38 °C) andautumn temperature (0.41 °C); the smallest group of environmental variablesexplaining the most variance in the modern phytolith data set. The most usefultransfer functions for application to fossil phytolith data andpaleoenvironmental interpretation are pH, log conductivity and annualprecipitation. The relationship between changes in pH and annual precipitationand phytolith assemblage composition found in this study presents aprima facie relationship with the potential to providedirect proxies for soil weathering and indirectly for paleoenvironmentalreconstruction.     

Influence of late holocene pyroclastic eruptions on the sedimentary geochemistry of Lake Rotoiti,North Island,New Zealand

Lake Rotoiti in Taupo Volcanic Zone was formed by damming of the drainage system through the floor of Okataina Caldera. Basin sediments are predominantly silt or sand, with mineralogy consistent with derivation from local silicic rocks and airfall tephras. Sandy lithofacies around the shoreline are wave worked deposits. Sand and gravel lithofacies in deeper water and on steep slopes are largely relict or airfall tephras, or both. Profundal sediments are diatomaceous silts. Organic-rich diatomaceous silts also accumulate in near-shore wave-damped zones under weed beds.Short cores penetrated the Tarawera (1886 AD) and Kaharoa (1180 AD) Tephras, identified by their stratigraphic position, geochemistry and mineralogy. Localised slumping is evidenced from secondary tephras interbedded and redeposited within the basin silts. Sedimentation rates in the basins, estimated from the age of bounding tephras, are 0.9 to 4.0 mm y^-1, and are highest under the influence of inflowing water from adjacent Lake Rotorua. For several hundred years prior to the Tarawera eruption sediment accumulation rates and the sediment geochemistry remained unchanged; deposition was predominantly biogenic opaline silica with a small terrestrial component. The Tarawera eruption deposited a terrestrial-silica, aluminum-rich primary tephra across the lake, which was followed by reworked tephra from within the catchment, the effects of which were progressively diluted by biogenic opaline silica as conditions stabilised. While the major effects of the eruption have been rapidly absorbed the lake has not returned to pre-eruption background conditions. A new equilibrium has been attained in which Tarawera Tephra continues to be eroded into the lake and is the principal source for a doubling of sedimentation rates following the eruption. High arsenic levels in some diatomaceous silts are attributed to episodic venting of hydrothermal fluids or gases into the water column.     

An analysis of phytolith assemblages for the quantitativereconstruction of late Quaternary environments of the Lower Taieri Plain,Otago, South Island, New Zealand II. Paleoenvironmentalreconstruction

Fossil phytolith assemblages from a 154.5 m longdrillcore from the Lower Taieri Plain, Otago, New Zealand are presented. Transferfunctions, based on modern phytolith assemblages from sites within the sameregion, were applied to the fossil phytolith data set, and validated usingModern Analogue Technique (MAT) assemblage matching. Analogues for much of theHolocene and some of the Last Interglacial (provisionally Oxygen Isotope Stage5c) were obtained. Late Glacial/Holocene precipitation and pH estimates areconsistent with other paleoclimate records from the Otago region. Thephytolith-based precipitation and pH estimates may act as a combined proxy forsoil weathering. The precipitation estimates may also act as a useful index ofEffective Precipitation (EP). Temperature estimates derived have limited usefor paleoclimate interpretation. Estimates produced for the mid-Holoceneindicate a wetter environment than the present (50–100 mmgreater EP) with increased soil weathering (high precipitation/low pH). Soilconductivity estimates were below estuarine levels during a diatom inferredmarine transgression. This lack of phytolith response to conductivity changesis put down to a probable delayed development of suitable habitats forsaltmarsh plant species during the rapid transgression. The Last Interglacialestimates indicate conditions somewhat drier (200 mm less EP) thanthe Holocene. Consistently low log conductivity (below 0.7 µScm) estimates from the Last Interglacial contrast with the estuarineenvironments of the Holocene, indicating freshwater conditions in the Plainduring at least part of the Last Interglaciation.     

Generalised observations of wave characteristics on near‐horizontal shore platforms: Synthesis of six case studies from the North Island,New Zealand

Most field studies of wave processes on shore platforms in front of eroding cliffs focus on a single site, revealing aspects of wave dynamics at that location. Here, we analyse data from six platforms around northeastern New Zealand and describe the fundamental control of shore platform width, gradient and elevation on wave processes, including greater attenuation of short‐period waves at lower tidal stages and increases in longer period wave energy towards the cliff toe. These data suggest that empirical formulae developed from coral‐reef environments provide better predictions of wave height on platforms than formulae currently used in shore platform models.     

The 2003 Mw 7.2 Fiordland subduction earthquake, New Zealand: aftershock distribution, main shock fault plane and static stress changes on the overlying Alpine Fault

The 2003 August 21 Fiordland earthquake ( M _L7.0, M _W7.2) was the largest earthquake to occur in New Zealand for 35 yr and the fifth of M6+ associated with shallow subduction in Fiordland in the last 15 yr. The aftershocks are diffuse and do not distinguish between the two possible main shock fault planes implied by the Harvard CMT solution, one corresponding to subduction interface thrusting and the other corresponding to steeply seaward dipping thrusting. The distinction is important for calculating the induced stress changes on the overlying Alpine Fault which has a history of very large earthquakes, the last possibly in 1717. We have relocated the aftershocks, using data from temporary seismographs in the epicentral region and the double difference technique. We then use the correlation between aftershock hypocentres and regions of positive changes in Coulomb Failure Stress (CFS) due to various candidate main shock fault planes to argue for concentrated slip on the shallow landward dipping subduction interface. Average changes in CFS on the offshore segments of the Alpine Fault are then negative, retarding any future large events. In our models the change in CFS is evaluated on faults of optimal orientation in the regional stress field as determined by inversion of P -wave polarities.     

The effects of local campaign spending on the geography of the flow‐of‐the‐vote at the 1991 New South Wales state election

There is a tendency to assume that election campaigning at the local electorate level has little or no impact on voters subject to the influence of highly centralised campaigns and an increasingly nationalised media. However, as applied to the flow‐of‐the‐vote, this study concludes that local campaign spending has real consequences for vote shifts. For the 1991 New South Wales state election, it is established that any major commitment to local electorate spending by one of the major parties relative to the other increases flows to that party and reduces flows from it. However, incumbency of individual seats as such does not appear to have any significant effect. There is a strong suggestion that, for this election, the Liberal‐National Coalition in government was at a distinct disadvantage compared with the Labor Party in opposition, the spending of the former having a much reduced impact on retaining or attracting votes compared with spending by Labor.