A slow-slip earthquake occurring near Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

The slow-slip earthquake occurs in the Hikurangi subduction zone, a tectonic boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. This area extends along the eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island and dips beneath the land mass, forming a complex and active geological system.

Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) stations near the Mahia Peninsula, north of Hawke's Bay, recorded a landward displacement of about 4 cm (1.6 in) eastward and 1 cm (0.4 in) southward, during the last three weeks of December.

Stations between Wairoa and Tolaga Bay showed similar movements with some locations moving up to 5 to 8 cm (2 to 3.1 inches). It represents up to 2 years of tectonic plate movement occurring in just 3 weeks.

Image credit: GeoNet

The last recorded slow-slip earthquake in the region occurred in June 2023, illustrating the recurring nature of these phenomena in the northern Hawke's Bay and Mahia areas.

Cross section of slow-slip zones at the boundary between the Australian and Pacific plates. Image credit: GNS

Continuing SSE is a focus of international research. Since 2014, more than 50 marine instruments, including ocean floor seismometers and seafloor pressure sensors, have been deployed to study the subduction zone. The instruments allow precise observation of tectonic movements and associated phenomena.

These sensors, part of an international collaboration involving researchers from New Zealand, Germany, Japan and the United States, aim to map the spatial extent of small seismic zones, detect associated earthquakes, and improve knowledge of subduction processes.

In 2023, the JOIDESsolution drillship installed two observatories up to 500 meters (1,640 feet) below the seafloor, near the current SSE site. Observatories are designed to capture multi-year data cycles of slow-slip events.

A recent US-funded project also installed flow meters on the seafloor to measure the movement of water under the seafloor related to small and medium areas. The instruments will be retrieved and analyzed to gain detailed insights into subduction zone processes.

In early 2024, a remotely operated underwater vehicle collected data from observatories. This dataset will help scientists understand the mechanisms of SSEs and their relationship to regular earthquakes.

The Hikurangi subduction zone extends along the east coast of New Zealand. Faulting is known for its frequent slow-slip events, which are different from normal earthquakes.

The subduction zone is New Zealand's largest fault and sees the Pacific plate move at rates of 2 to 6 cm (0.8 to 2.4 in) per year. SSEs were first discovered here in 2002 after GeoNet deployed permanent GNSS stations along the coast.

SSE involves a gradual release of energy over weeks or months without the ground shaking associated with traditional seismic activity.

SSEs relieve stress in some areas of the subduction zone but may increase stress in adjacent areas. The interaction can trigger smaller, shallow earthquakes. Multiple earthquakes of magnitude between 2 and 4 have already been recorded near the Mahia Peninsula, which are associated with the current SSE.

The small and medium zones are not unique to New Zealand but are prominent in its tectonic landscape.

They play the key role in accommodating the movement of tectonic plates and redistribution of pressure although they happen too slowly to be felt.

References:

1 Slow slide wakes up in Hawke's Bay – GNS – December 20, 2024

2 Slow-slip earthquake happening now off the East Coast – East Coast Laboratory – Accessed December 20, 2024

Article writer profile

Rishika holds a Master's degree in International Studies from Stella Maris College, Chennai, India, where she received a Gold Medal, and an MCA from Mysore University, Karnataka, India. She previously worked as a Research Assistant at the National Institute for Advanced Studies, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, India. During her tenure, she contributed as a junior writer to Europe Monitor on the world politics website and as an assistant editor for The World This Week. Her works have also been published in The Hindu, demonstrating her expertise in global affairs. Rishika has also received the District Level Women Empowerment Award in Haryana, India, in 2022.

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