On March 8, a two-month seafloor-drilling expedition set off to investigate the underwater megathrust fault that most threatens New Zealand’s North Island–the Hikurangi subduction zone.
The South Island is also at risk from its own big fault zone:
Information obtained from these investigations will help geoscientists all over the world improve their understanding of subduction zones and the deadly megathrust earthquakes they spawn.
Sometimes it is also possible to get 3D studies of a subduction zone.
The Hikurangi zone researchers also want data that will help them understand slow-slip quakes and their relationship to the damaging “fast” earthquakes that we’re all familiar with.
Featured image: US Air Force/Technical Sergeant Daniel St. Pierre. http://www.march.afrc.af.mil/News/Photos/igphoto/2000266910/