Latest news with #GNSScience
RNZ News
4 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Living next to an active volcano
Photo: Brad Scott - GNS Science Graham Leonard Photo: Jeff McEwan, Capture Studios Taranaki Mounga is one of New Zealand's about a dozen active volcanos - but what does that actually mean for locals? Volcanologist and GNS principal scientist Graham Leonard shares the latest research and preparedness advice.
Scoop
6 days ago
- Science
- Scoop
Bioshields Could Help Slow Tsunami Flow
GNS Science - Latest News [Page 1] Lead researcher and GNS Tsunami Scientist Jean Roger said the study findings are expected to help local governments, planners, environmental agencies and infrastructure managers make informed decisions about natural environment management and natural ... More >> GNS-Led Voyage To Hunga Volcano Returns With New Insights Into 2022 Eruption Monday, 24 June 2024, 10:53 am | GNS Science Scientists are now much closer to understanding what triggered the most violent volcanic eruption in more than a hundred years thanks to the return of a successful month-long expedition to Hunga volcano (Tonga) led by GNS Science. More >> Ancient Polar Sea Reptile Is The Oldest Ever Found In The Southern Hemisphere Tuesday, 18 June 2024, 9:37 am | GNS Science An Early Triassic Nothosaur fossil vertebra, from about 246 million years ago, discovered in New Zealand has upended long-standing hypotheses on how, when and from where nothosaurs and other early sea-going reptiles dispersed around the globe. More >> New Guidance Encourages Planners Not To Let Landslide Risk Reduction Opportunities Slip By Monday, 29 January 2024, 11:42 am | GNS Science Today GNS Science has released new land-use planning guidance to manage and reduce the risks of landslides. The Landslide Planning Guidance: Reducing Landslide Risk through Land-Use Planning strongly encourages landslide risk to be considered early ... More >> GNS Science Is Expecting Many Thousands Of Landslides Because Of Cyclone Gabrielle Wednesday, 15 February 2023, 1:37 pm | GNS Science Landslides are a national hazard, responsible for taking lives and costing New Zealand around $300M a year. GNS Science provides some advice to New Zealanders about how they can stay safe during extreme weather events, and how they can help. ... More >> Revised Earthquake Hazard Model Helps Aotearoa New Zealand Increase Resilience Tuesday, 4 October 2022, 6:25 am | GNS Science Aotearoa New Zealand's updated National Seismic Hazard Model estimates the likelihood of future earthquake shaking hazard to have increased throughout most of the country, ranging from almost no change to more than doubling in some areas. On average, results ... More >> New Zealand Partnership Increases Geothermal Presence In Japan Thursday, 21 April 2022, 3:48 pm | GNS Science GNS Science and Geo40 have today announced a geothermal coalition which will see them establish a physical presence in Tokyo. The move to open an office in Japan demonstrates the strength of New Zealand's expertise in the geothermal space, and ... More >> DART Network Proves Invaluable In Assessing Tsunami Threat Following The Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai Eruption Tuesday, 18 January 2022, 5:34 pm | GNS Science Aotearoa New Zealand's network of DART buoys proved vital over the weekend as tsunami experts raced to analyse the tsunami threat to our coastlines following a large, explosive eruption at Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcano in Tonga. DART (Deep-ocean ... More >> GNS Science Conduct Trench Work On Rauoterangi Fault Tuesday, 25 May 2021, 12:01 pm | GNS Science GNS Science has conducted a geotechnical study on the Rauoterangi Fault in Feilding in the hope to carbon date the fault line and analyse the risk it poses. The study has been fully funded by the Earthquake Commission Kōmihana Rūwhenua (EQC), with ... More >> Ground-breaking Climate Change Collaboration Awarded PM's Science Prize Tuesday, 30 June 2020, 4:42 pm | GNS Science Dr Richard Levy and Dr Nancy Bertler at the Ice Core Facility, GNS Science GNS Science is proud to be part of the Melting Ice & Rising Seas Team that has been awarded the Prime Minister's Science Prize. The project is a ground-breaking ... More >> Revised Hazard Posters For Mt Ruapehu 2020 Friday, 12 June 2020, 11:52 am | GNS Science Ruapehu is an incredible winter playground, and as mountain users prepare for the 2020 season a revised set of hazard posters will help them know how to keep themselves safe on the volcano. The key message remains the same: Ruapehu is an active ... More >> Government's Support For Science Sector Crucial For NZ's Recovery – GNS Science Wednesday, 3 June 2020, 2:23 pm | GNS Science Science and innovation will play a crucial role in New Zealand's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, and GNS Science welcomes today's announcement of additional support for the sector. Research, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Megan Woods ... More >> International Recognition For GNS Science's Research Output Tuesday, 5 May 2020, 2:48 pm | GNS Science Cutting edge research and high-impact partnerships have cemented GNS Science's position as a thought leader in earth and environmental sciences, recognised in the annual Nature Index . In the 2020 Index , published this month, GNS Science is ranked ... More >> GNS Science Continues To Monitor NZ's Geological Hazards During COVID-19 Crisis Monday, 23 March 2020, 12:27 pm | GNS Science New Zealand's four geohazard perils – earthquake, volcano, landslide and tsunami – are still being continuously monitored despite the COVID-19 pandemic, GNS Science says. GNS Science is taking a precautionary approach to protect the health of its ... More >> Moving Mountains On The Ocean Floor May Hold Key To East Coast Earthquakes Wednesday, 4 March 2020, 1:14 pm | GNS Science Earthquakes and slow slip events may be influenced by mountains on the ocean floor, or 'seamounts', according to new research co-authored by GNS Science. A paper published today in Nature Geoscience magazine found that seamounts can have ... More >> Shallow magma driving volcanic activity at Whakaari Friday, 13 December 2019, 1:37 pm | GNS Science Volcano monitoring data from Whakaari/White Island indicates a shallow body of magma is present and eruption risk continues, GNS Science experts say. Since Monday's tragic events there has been no further eruptive activity at Whakaari/White Island. ... More >> GNS Science maps show risk levels at White Island still high Thursday, 12 December 2019, 5:02 pm | GNS Science Risk assessment maps released by GNS Science (dated 02 and 12 December 2019) show the crater floor of Whakaari/White Island is still a high-risk area, with a further eruption looking increasingly likely. The maps were released at a National Emergency ... More >> Risk of Whakaari/White Island eruption remains high Thursday, 12 December 2019, 11:17 am | GNS Science The risk of further eruptions at Whakaari/White Island is unchanged and remains high, GNS Science experts say. More >>
RNZ News
7 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Kelp, Pōhutukawa and other vegetation could slow down tsunamis
A typical New Zealand kelp forest. Photo: Supplied / GNS Science New research from GNS Science reveals natural ecosystems, such as kelp forests, can slow down the speed of tsunamis in New Zealand. The pilot study was carried out in Napier and looked at both natural and manmade tsunami defences along the coastline using computer simulated models. These mimicked the resistant forces of each ecosystem and compared the maximum inundation extent, flow depth and speed, and where areas may have been eroded and sediments deposited. The ecosystems, also known as bioshields, included kelp forest, Pohutukawa trees, a restored estuary, a sea wall, an artificial reef and a combination of vegetation types. Researchers found the most effective one for slowing down tsunami currents was a combination of natural bioshields. Lead researcher and GNS tsunami scientist Jean Roger told RNZ he had been wanting to do this study for years. He said that was because it can help coastal areas better understand what natural and artificial bioshields can be used to lessen the impact of tsunamis - which can damage infrastructure and smother natural environments in sediment. "We found that this friction produced by ecosystems may be able to reduce the floor speed of the tsunami - which is something very important," he said. Vegetation areas in Napier that were applied in the tsunami simulation. Photo: Supplied / GNS Science The modelled scenario showed a significant reduction in sediment transport around bridge infrastructure, which can weaken the piles and increase the risk of collapse. "We also did some sediment transport simulation to see what these ecosystems can provide in reducing sediment movement during an event. We found it will reduce it in some locations," said Roger. The research is preliminary, so he said they need to do many more simulations to be sure that there is a large impact on the reduction of tsunami speed. The researchers already knew that mangroves can reduce tsunami speed, but this is the first study to look at New Zealand ecosystems such as kelp forests and pohutakawa trees. Roger said these findings can benefit many coastal areas of New Zealand and should be considered by local councils. "We hope that this research will provide decision makers, including councils and industries, with science-backed solutions for resilience planning and land use decisions to have more consideration of the benefits of coastal ecosystems in terms of coastal protection," he said. While this study was based in Napier due to limited time and resource, Roger is keen to see it expanded further. "Following on from this research we hope to work closely with government and industry stakeholders to come up with the most effective tailored nature-based solutions for individual areas and circumstances," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
11-05-2025
- RNZ News
More flights cancelled due to Whakaari White Island ash
File photo. Four flights were cancelled on Sunday. Photo: Supplied / Craig Miller / GNS Science Two more flights out of Tauranga have been cancelled due to volcanic ash from Whakaari White Island. Volcanic activity caused Air New Zealand to cancel four flights on Sunday evening. The airline said there may be more cancellations so those travelling through Tauranga should keep an eye on the airline's app and website. Geonet's website showed White Island remained at volcanic alert level 3 on Monday morning, which it said indicated a minor eruption. Whakaari, which lies offshore in the Bay of Plenty, is New Zealand's most active cone volcano. In 2019, tour groups visiting the island were caught in a sudden eruption, with 22 people killed and many more badly injured. The fifth anniversary of the incident was marked in a ceremony at Whakatāne, in December.
NZ Herald
11-05-2025
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Whakaari/White Island: Ash cloud cancels flights into Tauranga
The advisory states there is ongoing low-level eruption, but ash was observed 'further west than modelled'. On Sunday afternoon, the Tauranga region experienced a light easterly from about 1pm. This is expected to change to a light southerly on Monday and then a light westerly by Tuesday evening, according to the MetService forecast. During April, 2025, images from the webcams at Whakatāne and Te Kaha recorded an increase in volcanic ash in the steam and gas plume at Whakaari/White Island. During the same period, MetService were able to detect minor amounts of volcanic ash in the plume using satellite imagery. From the coast, this can be seen as a hazy plume trailing downwind from the volcano. These observations indicated that there had been a gradual increase in eruptive activity and in response, the Volcanic Alert Level was raised to Level 3 on April 17. The Aviation Colour Code remains at Orange. SunLive has asked volcanologists at GNS Science for an update on Whakaari/White Island.
