Cracking quake sites

Seismic hazard expert at Lower Hutt’s Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Dr Mark Stirling is part of a scientific research team using sonar to scan layers underneath the sea floor where past earthquakes occurred, in order to find out the likelihood of further damaging quakes from undersea faults close to New Zealand’s coast. Stirling says: “All of this is really about how the past is the key to the future.” The research is also being used to help to improve building codes in New Zealand by contributing to its national seismic hazard model, which is a representation of the risk of earthquakes occurring around the nation. The findings were presented in September at the European Science Foundation Conference, held in Austria.