Paleoseismology of the 2010 Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake source, Greendale Fault, New Zealand

Abstract

The previously unknown Greendale Fault ruptured in the September 2010 moment magnitude (Mw) 7.1 Darfield Earthquake. Surface rupture fracture patterns and displacements along the fault were measured with high precision using real time kinematic (RTK) GPS, tape and compass, airborne light detection and ranging (lidar), and aerial photos. No geomorphic evidence of a penultimate surface rupture was revealed from pre-2010 imagery. The fault zone is up to 300m wide and comprises both distributed (folding) and discrete (faulting) deformation dominated by right-lateral displacement. Surface fracturing accommodates ~30% of the total right-lateral displacement in the central fault zone; the remainder..