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New Zealandbrochures and maps of New ZealandNatural History BrochuresThese A3 fold-out, full colour brochures are explanations and discussions of spectacular geological landforms and events in New Zealand, with photographs mainly by Lloyd Homer and text by GNS Science staff. The information is accessible for students, tourists and the general public. The brochures are valuable teaching resources, excellent references for student projects and absolutely essential for field trips.
$6.00 each
(GNS Science brochures)
Discounts for 10 or more assorted brochures
$5.00 each
(older brochures)
Solander Island (Te Niho a Kewa, Hautere) is an eroded stump of its former self.
A Guide to the Geology of the Riverton - Aparima District
Places to go and things to see
Waiau Group and Ice AgeGemstone Beach, McCrackens Rest
Near Monkey Island the hard, rocky Median Batholith coast gives way to eroding cliffs of soft sandstone and mudstone. These are the Waiau Group rocks. They record widespread submergence beneath the sea from about 40 million years ago. The terraces, benches and gravels along the coast formed during the last 2 million years when the Earth was in an Ice Age. They are a record of � uctuating sea levels and erosion. At this time the Waiau River was loaded with gravels eroded by glaciers near Te Anau.
Fossil wood in pebbly sandstone, Gemstone Beach cliffs
Sketch cross section between Tuatapere and Riverton - Aparima.
© Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd. 2009
For further information about New Zealand geology, including books, maps and photographs and videos, visit the GNS Science website www.gns.cri.nz
The Geological Society of New Zealand (www.gsnz.org.nz) has many detailed � eld guides. Te Hikoi Southern Journey Heritage Museum (www.tehikoi.co.nz) has excellent displays on local settlement history.
This brochure was written by Nick Mortimer in cooperation with Te Hikoi Southern Journey Heritage Museum. Comments by Oraka Aparima Runaka, Hamish Campbell, Russell Beck, Kay Roughan, Carole Power, Julian Thomson, Jane Forsyth and Ian Turnbull are acknowledged.
ISSN 1177-2441GNS Science Miscellaneous Series 26
© Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd. 2009
Orepuki is less than 200 km from one of the Earth’s major plate boundaries. Starting 20 million years ago, the Australian Plate began to dive (subduct) beneath the Paci� c Plate. This pushed up the rocks of Fiordland, a process that is continuing today. At 9.22 pm on 15 July 2009 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake, the biggest in New Zealand for 78 years, occurred on this plate boundary in Fiordland. In fact the entire Southland region is acting as a giant west-end-up spirit level or
tilt meter (yellow dashed lines in cross section on back page). Solander Island (Te Niho a Kewa, Hautere) is a Paci� c Ring of Fire volcano associated with the plate boundary. It last erupted about 150,000 years ago.
At Gemstone Beach (Mullans Rd West) look at the Waiau Group sediments in the cliffs. On the beach, the stones are nicely polished. Here you can � nd minerals such as jasper (blood red), hydrogrossular (waxy greenish white-yellow), epidote (apple green), quartz (white), almandine garnet sand (red) and rare sapphires (blue), as well as different rocks (including Brook Street Terrane) brought down the Waiau River from near Te Anau.
There is no beach access at McCrackens Rest but it provides excellent views of Solander Island (Te Niho a Kewa, Hautere), Fiordland and Te Waewae Bay.
Geological map of the Riverton - Aparima district.
Photo 8: Braided channels of the Waiho River lead from the Franz Josef Glacier, Aoraki/Mt Cook on
the skyline (right). The terminal moraine (w), known as the Waiho Loop, marks the position of the
glacier terminus 13,000 years ago. Forest covering this moraine escaped pastoral clearing. The
Alpine Fault runs along the foot of the mountains, arrows indicating the sense of movement.
Photo: D.L. Homer.
The Franz Josef and Fox GlaciersK Roimata o Hine Hukatere e Te Moeka o Tuaweā
Photo 7: This meltwater tunnel has
been uncovered by melting and
upward ice movement. Such tunnels
merge near the terminus, water often
flowing from the glacier via a
spectacular ice cave. The glacier front
is a very unstable area, the ice
constantly moving and collapsing.
Heavy rain may cause tunnels to
collapse, trapping water within the
glacier. A spectacular dam-burst often
follows, carrying blocks of ice
downstream. Photo: Petr Hlavacek,nzicescapes.com
Photo 6: Surface water often flows
down vertical shafts (moulins) which
lead to a labyrinth of tunnels deep
inside the glacier. This moulin is three
metres across. Photo: Julian Thomson
ww
Photo 5: Advances of the Franz Josef Glacier in the
last few hundred years have left several vegetation
trim lines. Mature forest only survives above the
‘1600 or earlier’ ice level. Photo: T.J. Chinn
1600 rlieror ea
1820
1930
1950
Photos 4 a, b & c: These photos, taken from near Sentinel Rock, show different positions of
the terminus of the Franz Josef Glacier.
(a) from 1939-49, there was a lake in front of the glacier.
(b) In 1979 the glacier had retreated far up the valley.
(c) Re-advance in the 80's and 90's saw the glacier advance to this 2000 position.
Photo: Westland National Park Historic Photo Collection
Photo: T.J. Chinn
Photo: Westland National Park Historic Photo Collection
Original text by Trevor Chinn and Glen Coates, revised for this edition by Julian Thomson (GNS Science)and Brian Anderson (Victorial University).
Copyright © Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences Ltd 2009
PO Box 30368, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Telephone: +64-4-570 1444 Facsimile+64-4-570 4600
For further information visit the GNS Science website www.gns.cri.nz
ISSN 1177-2441
GNS Science Miscellaneous Series 24
Climate change and the history of advance and retreatThe Earth’s climate is constantly changing, temperatures varying from warmer thanpresent to 4-6°C cooler during the Ice Ages. The latest period of global warming began at
the end of the 19 century and, in response, glaciers have in general been retreating. TheFranz Josef and Fox Glaciers are unusually sensitive to climate changes because theirlarge catchments feed into narrow valleys, and a change in snow accumulation producesdramatic changes at the terminus. This is why the overall retreat of these two glaciers hasbeen punctuated by minor advances at about 20-year intervals. The latest advance sincethe 1980's has been the most spectacular and comes after increased snowfalls on theSouthern Alps.
th
Cover photo: Ice features on the Franz Josef Glacier,Petr Hvalacek, nzicescapes.com
Māori heritage
Māori understanding of the alpine world was based on the great creation myths of thewaka Aoraki and Tū Te Rakiwhānoa. The deepsignificance of the great peaks, snowfields and glaciers of Te Waipounamu (the SouthIsland) are preserved in the language. The Māori names of the glaciers Kā Roimata o HineHukatere (Franz Josef Glacier) and Te Moeka o Tuawe (Fox Glacier) are derived from atūpuna (ancestor) Tū Awe who fell to his death while exploring the area. The bed of TeMoeka o Tuawe became his moeka (final resting place). It is said that when his lover, HineHukatere, wept, the bed of the glaciers filled with her everlasting tears of ice. The storyenabled generations of Māori to commit to memory the unique landforms of the area.
two(double-hulled sailing vessels) named
,,
a. 1939–40 lake b. 1979
c. 2000
~1800*
1920
1940
1960
1980
2000
~1600*<1600*
1900
RETREATADVANCE
*These positions known from vegetation analysis
0 1 2 312
Sentinel Rock
Distance (km) from Sentinel Rock
Advance 1907–09
Advance 1921–34
Advance 1946–51
Advance 1965–67
Advance 1983–2000Fletcher Bridge destroyed 1990
Shelter hut removed 1986
‘Glacierburst’ flood Dec 1965Pioneer Hut destroyed by rockfall 1963
First ski-plane landing (on Fox Gl.) 1956
Proglacial lake 1939–49
Viewing gallery destroyed 1907
1880
1860
First photograph 1867Visit by von Haast 1864
First description 1859(from at sea)
FRANZ JOSEF GLACIERHistoric variations of terminus position and notable events
Advance 2004–
Order Form Price in NZ$, postage and packaging extra. Please print all details clearly.
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Send To: GNS Science, Publication Sales, P.O. Box 30-368 Lower Hutt 5040 New ZealandFax: + 64-4-570-4679, Tel: +64-4-570-4866, Email: [email protected], website: www.gns.cri.nz/publications
Geological Map of New ZealandNew Zealand is a jigsaw of many different rock types. They range from hard gneiss to soft mudstone, from the oldest fossils to volcanic rocks erupted in the last few years. Our rocks represent vanished river plains, ancient peat swamps, deep sea floors, volcanic islands, beach sands and shell beds, the roots of mountain ranges, and much more. New Zealand’s rock types are displayed on a 590 x 910 mm GNS Science colour poster, ideal for schools and wall displays. The map is also available on the web, with supporting information including photos and text.
$25.00 Ps40
Natural History Brochures (cont.)
Maps
BR1 Scenery and geology from the Summit Road, Christchurch*
BR3 A guide to the Routeburn track, New Zealand BR4 The Dunedin VolcanoBR5 Tarawera Volcano*BR6 Volcanic landscape : a guide to the Auckland
Volcanic Field*BR7 A guide to Milford Sound, New Zealand* BR9 The Mount Cook Rock Avalanche of 14 December 1991BR12 The Kaikoura PeninsulaBR13 The Volcanoes of TaranakiBR14 Crossing Cook Strait (also available in German)BR16 The Haast landscapeBR17 Cape Kidnappers
BR18 The Glaciated landscape of Mount Cook*BR19 Tauranga HarbourBR20 Lake Moeraki wildernessBR21 Waitomo CavesBR22 The Oamaru VolcanoBR24 Taupo the Volcano (new edition)BR25 Taupo the Eruption (new edition)BR26 New Zealand Adrift (new edition)BR27 Pancake Rocks Punakaiki (new edition)
$6.00 GBR1 The Moeraki Boulders (new edition)GBR2 The Franz Josef and Fox Glaciers (new edition)GBR3 A Guide to the Geology of the Riverton – Aparima
District
* NOW OUT OF PRINT – colour photocopies available on request.
New Zealand ContinentNew Zealand is part of a vast submerged continent. This New Zealand continent (sometimes referred to as Zealandia) is shown in relation to the southwest Pacific and eastern Australia in a 900 x 685 mm GNS Science colour poster. Major underwater features, islands and island nations are labelled. Water depths are coloured and contoured to show the texture of the sea floor. An alternative version of the poster is also available showing the New Zealand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The poster is ideal for schools, boardrooms, wall displays and for people who are interested in the physical settings of New Zealand.
$25.00 GPS4 (with EEZ)
$20.00 Ps35