Massey Documents by Type

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://mro.massey.ac.nz/handle/10179/294

Browse

Subject: search.filters.subject.Volcanic hazard

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Visitor perceptions of natural hazards at Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas, Mt Ruapehu : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Geography at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
    (Massey University, 2010) Milnes, Celeste N.
    Whakapapa and Turoa are ski areas located on the active volcano Mt Ruapehu, in the Central North Island of New Zealand. Mt Ruapehu is located within Tongariro National Park, one of the 14 National Parks administered by the Department of Conservation (DoC). Visitors to Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas encounter an array of hazards, including icy slopes, ragged cliffs and drop-offs, and thousands of other mountain users. Hazards unique to Whakapapa and Turoa include the threat to human safety from lahars, ash falls, pyroclastic flows, erosion, rock falls, crevassing and ballistic bombs due to the active volcanic nature of this mountain. Managing these hazards at Mt Ruapehu is complex due to the number of factors involved. This dynamic site hosts visitors who are moderately experienced and prepared, but may be complacent about the danger to personal safety within these areas. The intention of this research was to investigate how the public perceives hazards at Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas at Mt Ruapehu, and look at the particular hazards to which visitors feel they have been exposed. In order to identify gaps in public awareness of hazards, the current study at Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas involved surveying 400 members of the public, analysing the output from these surveys, and conducting semi-structured interviews with staff from Ruapehu Alpine Lifts, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Science and DoC. RAL safety management staff, DoC staff, and GNS scientists were spoken to in regard to their role as hazard communicators through identification of ways that they present safety messages to ski area visitors. A basic demographic profile of visitors to Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas was identified and problems of communicating risk to ski area users in terms of their tendency to overestimate ability and take significant risk were outlined. Visitors to Whakapapa and Turoa ski areas were shown to have only moderate awareness of hazards and a number of suggestions for ski area management are provided. The author has identified a number of areas where the public’s knowledge and practice around hazards is lacking and has made recommendations for the stakeholders.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Samoa technical report - Review of volcanic hazard maps for Savai'i and Upolu
    (South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission, 2006-07) Cronin, Shane J.; Bonte-Grapentin, Michael; Nemeth, Karoly
    Both main islands of Samoa, Savai'i and Upolu need to be considered as potentially volcanically active. The most recent eruptions in historic times happened on Savai'i in 1905-1911, 1902 and 1760 (estimated). Though detailed volcanic studies and dating of volcanic events are very limited there is evidence for repeated volcanic activity on both islands since the time of human occupation of the islands marked by prominent and fresh appearance of tuff cones as Tafua (= fire mountain) Savai'i, the island of Apolima, Tafua Upolu and offshore Cape Tapaga. This report examines the volcanic risks for both islands and defines for disaster management considerations potential eruption scenarios based on eyewitness accounts of previous eruptions, geological field evidence, remote sensing information and experiences from similar volcanoes. A detailed timeline of events, potential impacts and required emergency response activities are listed for the five potential eruption types (1) long-term lava field (2) short-term spatter-cone (3) explosive phreatomagmatic (4) explosive scoria-cone and (5) submarine flank collapse. Given the nature of volcanism in Samoa with hundreds of individual "one-off" volcanoes scattered along zones of structural weakness within the Savai'i - Upolu Platform - predicting the exact location of future eruption centres is impossible. At the current stage of knowledge a presentation of a volcanic hazard map is inadequate and would require additional baseline studies to statistically define recurrence intervals and areas of higher volcanic activity. Taking these limitations into account, maps showing the relative potential for new eruption vents on Upolu and Savai'i are derived from geomorphologic features. To improve our understanding and management of the volcanic risks of Samoa, suggestions for achievable future work are listed and prioritised. These recommendations include geological/volcanological baseline studies (e.g. dating/detailed analyses of past events, rock chemistry, volcano structure); installation of early warning and monitoring network (e.g. permanent GPS, seismometers); and disaster preparedness and volcanic crisis response planning.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Community Emergency Management During the 2005 Ambae Eruption, Vanuatu, SW Pacific.
    (Massey University., 2007-01-01) Cronin, Shane J.; Nemeth, Karoly; Procter, John N.; Charley, Douglas T.; Harrison, Morris J; Garaebiti, Esline; Scott, Brad J.; Sherburne, Steve; Bani, Philipson; Lardy, Michel
    No abstract available
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Magmaticand phreatomagmatic tephras in fine ash successions of an arc volcanic complex, the Mangatawai Tephra Formation, Tongariro Volcanic Centre, New Zealand
    (Massey University., 2007-01-01) Moebis, Anja; Cronin, Shane J.; Nemeth, Karoly
    No abstract available