U.S. STUDY ABROAD STUDENTS' PERSPECTIVE ON THE CHRISTCHURCH EARTHQUAKES AND THEIR IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY

As a group of United States geology students who were studying in Christchurch during the Port Hills earthquake on February 22, 2011, we aim to educate the American scientific community about the recent Christchurch earthquakes and our experiences living through the second earthquake. We have compiled a scientific background on the September 4 (2010) Darfield earthquake and the February 22 and June 13 Port Hills earthquakes to broaden the knowledge that has reached the U.S. Talking with experts who are currently studying the earthquakes in New Zealand and compiling data from sources like Geonet allow us to provide a unique, detailed perspective on the three earthquakes. The topics presented are liquefaction, the relationship between damage, magnitude, and ground acceleration, focal mechanisms, aftershock sequences, and how the fault system beneath Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains relates to the stress field and overall tectonics of New Zealand. The recent earthquake sequence is likely the best documented sequence in history and locations of aftershocks and recently conducted seismic surveys have given insight into the layout and dynamics of the fault system. Several faults inherited from an ancient episode of deformation 90-50 million years ago have been reactivated due to stress loading during current seismic activity. The ongoing felt aftershock sequence is a constant reminder of the seismic activity occurring beneath the populated city of Christchurch. We seek to convey how the earthquakes have and will impact those living in Christchurch. We present a timeline quantifying the time scales over which the different aspects of the earthquakes will affect the city and its residents. We will also include how the Christchurch earthquakes have affected us and our New Zealand experience.