Lecture: The Geology of the South Island of New Zealand
Speaker:
Entry Fee
Members: Free
Visitors: £5.00
Date and Time
19:30 -
Location
Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution, 16-18 Queen Square, Bath BA1 2HN
Lecture Description
South Island, New Zealand forms the S.E. corner of the Pacific Rim of Fire and lies on the collision zone of the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates. The rocks that form the island were originally eroded from the Gondwana supercontinent; over the course of the past 250 million years, they have been re-eroded and re-formed to shape the land visible today. The three main areas; Southern Alps, Alpine Fault and Canterbury Plain, illustrate tectonic, glacial and erosion processes which are ongoing and visible in the landscape. Uplift of the Southern Alps has had considerable climatic effect and the commercial resources available today result directly from the tectonic adventure that is the South Island’s history, producing a place of stunning natural beauty and high drama.