EQC scholarship recipient returns from US with 'invaluable data'

Toka Tu Ake EQC has heralded the return of its 2020 Fullbright Scholarship recipient, Jesse Kearse, after collecting a “treasure trove of earthquake data,” from research in the US.

Mr Kearse worked with researchers at the California Institute of Technology after receiving the scholarship to help collect vital data to analyse New Zealand’s fault lines.

He welcomed the opportunity, which had been delayed due to pandemic and visa-related issues and saw him work with leading geoscientist Jean-Philippe Avouac.

“It was incredible working with one of the global leaders in my field, and through his networks I was able to access data that Kiwi scientists would never get their hands on,” Mr Kearse said.

Mr Kearse analysed data from a large-magnitude earthquake in Taiwan which was extensively recorded by its sensor network.

“Seismologists usually record earthquakes from afar, but in Taiwan they were able to capture detailed and complex data as the fault lines were rupturing,” Mr Kearse said.

“Imagine sitting courtside at basketball game compared to the cheap seats at the back of the stadium. You can resolve a lot more detail up close that you simply cannot see from afar.

“This recent event in Taiwan is valuable to earthquake science, because the fault line ruptured right through a dense network of sensors, some of which were as close as 100m from the fault.”

He noted similarities in the tectonics of New Zealand and Taiwan as a critical reason for his focus on the event, saying that the data can provide pertinent information for researchers.

“Traditionally, we make conclusions about the behaviour of different fault lines based on observations from a distance, but in Taiwan, we could see the ruptures as the earth was moving,” Mr Kearse said.

“It is very exciting as a geoscientist to see the tectonics behave as the earth starts moving, so you can see how fast it ruptures, how far it ruptures and how long it takes to slow down. All of that would be nearly impossible to do with traditional methods.”

Mr Kearse says he is still “dissembling the data” and will work with Toka Tu Ake EQC and other researchers to provide valuable findings for future earthquake research.