title: Historical tsunami database for New Zealand

authors: Fraser, Rodger James

subjects: Tsunamis

abstract: New Zealand has suffered relatively few tsunamis compared to many countries around or within the Pacific rim, but has experienced over 30 tsunamis during the last 177 years. The larger events occurred prior to the time when coastal settlements became highly
populated. The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence is responsible for managing such extreme events, and for this function it is advantageous to have a comprehensive database for rapid appraisal of tsunami warnings. This project therefor aims to extend the existing tsunami events data and to present it in an operational database for The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence. In addition from the tsunami database, tsunami runup risk and expected tsunami runup heights for several New Zealand coastal sectors were calculated.

Using existing dates of tsunami events, new reports of tsunami waves were researched from South Island newspaper archives. Additional extra information about the tsunami waves, for example wave height and wave period, was also obtained from the newspapers for existing reports.

The tsunami data, including source mechanism data, was entered into a database spreadsheet in the form of a lookup table using Microsoft Excel. Event sources are divided into key regions as defined by The National Geophysical Data Centre of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tsunami events are divided up into key regions defined by Regional Council authorities. The database will enable The Ministry of Civil Defence to predict tsunami heights around New Zealand by interpolating data from past events. 

Tsunami return periods and expected runup calculations were made for various sites around New Zealand. It was found that destructive tsunami waves are most likely to originate from local sources. The most common and largest far-field tsunami waves are from the West Coast of South America

text: Historical tsunami database for New Zealand New Zealand has suffered relatively few tsunamis compared to many countries around or within the Pacific rim, but has experienced over 30 tsunamis during the last 177 years. The larger events occurred prior to the time when coastal settlements became highly
populated. The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence is responsible for managing such extreme events, and for this function it is advantageous to have a comprehensive database for rapid appraisal of tsunami warnings. This project therefor aims to extend the existing tsunami events data and to present it in an operational database for The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence. In addition from the tsunami database, tsunami runup risk and expected tsunami runup heights for several New Zealand coastal sectors were calculated.

Using existing dates of tsunami events, new reports of tsunami waves were researched from South Island newspaper archives. Additional extra information about the tsunami waves, for example wave height and wave period, was also obtained from the newspapers for existing reports.

The tsunami data, including source mechanism data, was entered into a database spreadsheet in the form of a lookup table using Microsoft Excel. Event sources are divided into key regions as defined by The National Geophysical Data Centre of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tsunami events are divided up into key regions defined by Regional Council authorities. The database will enable The Ministry of Civil Defence to predict tsunami heights around New Zealand by interpolating data from past events. 

Tsunami return periods and expected runup calculations were made for various sites around New Zealand. It was found that destructive tsunami waves are most likely to originate from local sources. The most common and largest far-field tsunami waves are from the West Coast of South America

year: 1998

title: Sustainable dance making: Dancers and choreographers in collaboration

authors: Barbour, Karen

subjects: sustainability

abstract: In this paper I explore the notion of sustainability, drawing from environmental
policy and activism, and apply this notion to the process of dance making. I begin
by defining sustainability, and move to exploring both the professional and
community contexts of dance making and the practices of collaboration. In many
ways, the motivation for this paper comes from a deeply felt concern I have
regarding the practices of dance making in the professional dance ‘industry’,
particularly as I have observed in New Zealand; practices which I regard as not
only unsustainable but sometimes even harmful to dancers and choreographers.
I begin by sharing a brief story about my experiences as a dancer as background
to my argument.

text: Sustainable dance making: Dancers and choreographers in collaboration In this paper I explore the notion of sustainability, drawing from environmental
policy and activism, and apply this notion to the process of dance making. I begin
by defining sustainability, and move to exploring both the professional and
community contexts of dance making and the practices of collaboration. In many
ways, the motivation for this paper comes from a deeply felt concern I have
regarding the practices of dance making in the professional dance ‘industry’,
particularly as I have observed in New Zealand; practices which I regard as not
only unsustainable but sometimes even harmful to dancers and choreographers.
I begin by sharing a brief story about my experiences as a dancer as background
to my argument.

year: 2008

title: Spatial and temporal characteristics of the underwater soundscape around the Motiti Protection Area: Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef and Motiti Island

authors: Riegel, Maria Sophie

subjects: Underwater Soundscapes

abstract: Marine ecosystems around the world have been impacted by degradation and loss of biodiversity as a result of human impacts and climate change. The monitoring and management of ecologically significant areas is vital in understanding the effects of habitat degradation on marine ecosystems. Traditional monitoring methods are often expensive, time consuming, labour intensive and invasive. Soundscapes offer a unique opportunity for monitoring habitats in a way that is cost effective, minimally invasive and efficient. The aim of this study was to use passive acoustic monitoring to create a baseline data set using ambient sound data to investigate the spatial and temporal changes in ambient sound pressure levels, and to identify biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound sources which make up the marine soundscapes at the Motiti Island and Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef. Five diverse and ecologically significant sites in the Motiti Protection Area – at Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef and Motiti Island, in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand were selected and monitored over the course of a year. This provided a wide variety of data to show the diel, lunar and seasonal patterns and trends in acoustic biological activity in order to represent the ecosystems accurately. The results showed that all sites showed strong diel patterns, with a sound pressure level increase of ~6-10dB during daylight hours compared to dark hours, and evident peaks during dawn and dusk hours as a result of biological choruses composed largely of sea urchins. There were also strong seasonal trends among the five sites, with Summer having the overall highest sound pressure level compared to Spring, Autumn and Winter, this also had an effect on the peaks in dusk choruses, which were also found to be highest during Summer. Lunar phases were also found to have an impact on the sound pressure levels of all five sites, with increased sound pressure levels during the new moon, compared to sound pressure levels during the full moon. This study created a baseline data set for a culturally, ecologically, and economically valuable area. Passive acoustic monitoring was found to be an incredibly useful tool in understand the ecosystems health and biological condition, and offers an alternative to traditional monitoring which is an effective, minimally invasive, and less labour intensive way of monitoring marine ecosystems.

text: Spatial and temporal characteristics of the underwater soundscape around the Motiti Protection Area: Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef and Motiti Island Marine ecosystems around the world have been impacted by degradation and loss of biodiversity as a result of human impacts and climate change. The monitoring and management of ecologically significant areas is vital in understanding the effects of habitat degradation on marine ecosystems. Traditional monitoring methods are often expensive, time consuming, labour intensive and invasive. Soundscapes offer a unique opportunity for monitoring habitats in a way that is cost effective, minimally invasive and efficient. The aim of this study was to use passive acoustic monitoring to create a baseline data set using ambient sound data to investigate the spatial and temporal changes in ambient sound pressure levels, and to identify biotic, abiotic and anthropogenic sound sources which make up the marine soundscapes at the Motiti Island and Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef. Five diverse and ecologically significant sites in the Motiti Protection Area – at Ōtaiti/Astrolabe Reef and Motiti Island, in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand were selected and monitored over the course of a year. This provided a wide variety of data to show the diel, lunar and seasonal patterns and trends in acoustic biological activity in order to represent the ecosystems accurately. The results showed that all sites showed strong diel patterns, with a sound pressure level increase of ~6-10dB during daylight hours compared to dark hours, and evident peaks during dawn and dusk hours as a result of biological choruses composed largely of sea urchins. There were also strong seasonal trends among the five sites, with Summer having the overall highest sound pressure level compared to Spring, Autumn and Winter, this also had an effect on the peaks in dusk choruses, which were also found to be highest during Summer. Lunar phases were also found to have an impact on the sound pressure levels of all five sites, with increased sound pressure levels during the new moon, compared to sound pressure levels during the full moon. This study created a baseline data set for a culturally, ecologically, and economically valuable area. Passive acoustic monitoring was found to be an incredibly useful tool in understand the ecosystems health and biological condition, and offers an alternative to traditional monitoring which is an effective, minimally invasive, and less labour intensive way of monitoring marine ecosystems.

year: 2022