Contemporary Uplift and Erosion of the Southern Alps, New Zealand

Abstract

Research Article| January 01, 1980 Contemporary Uplift and Erosion of the Southern Alps, New Zealand John Adams John Adams 1Geology Department, Victoria University, Private Bag, Wellington, New Zealand Department of Geological Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1980) 91 (1_Part_II): 1–114. https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-P2-91-1 Article history received: 07 Feb 1979 rev-recd: 04 Sep 1979 accepted: 07 Sep 1979 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation John Adams; Contemporary Uplift and Erosion of the Southern Alps, New Zealand. GSA Bulletin 1980;; 91 (1_Part_II): 1–114. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-P2-91-1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract In the South Island of New Zealand, the pattern of uplift is relatively simple, and the uplift and erosion rates are so high that man-accelerated erosion is a negligible part. In contrast, the pattern in the North Island is less simple, the rates lower, and man-accelerated erosion more significant. All available information relevant to the past 2 m.y. of uplift and erosion in the Southern Alps has been examined. The viewpoint taken is from geology (1,000 yr or more), not from engineering or culture (100 yr or less).In New Zealand, early work on erosion rates was sporadic and done mainly by engineers. Cotton and other geomorphologists of the Davisian school considered that landforms took tens of millions of years to form. They assumed ample time was available and were not interested in rates. F. W. Furkert, an engineer concerned with harbour protection, made the first reasonable estimates. It is only within the last few years that the necessary regional data have become available. For the first time, uplift rates have been quantified, land retriangulations analyzed, river-flow records computerized, and the country has been mapped topographically at 1:63, 360 and mapped geologically. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this article.