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Information About

Auckland Volcanic Field




The Auckland volcanic field is a Monogenetic Volcanic Field on the North Island of New Zealand . Basalt ic in nature, it underlies much of the Metropolitan Area of Auckland .

The field began its volcanic life cycle between 60000 and 140000 years ago, as the first vents erupted out of the ocean. Since then, each eruptive vent has become active only once at random times. The most recent eruption was at Rangitoto , an island Shield Volcano just east of the city of Auckland, erupting 2.3 cubic kilometres of lava only centuries ago.

Several of the volcanic cones were occupied by substantial Māori Pa before European Settlement , and many terraces and other archeological remnants are still visible today.

Local councils have made submissions to the New Zealand government that the volcanic field's unique natural and cultural features justify its inclusion in New Zealand's tentative list of World Heritage Site candidates. (Only 23 of more than 700 World Heritage Sites worldwide are in this "mixed" category.)


REFERENCES

  • Lloyd Homer, Phil Moore and Les Kermode. ''Lava and Strata: A guide to the volcanoes and rock formations of Auckland'', Landscape Publications and the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences, 2000. ISBN 0-908800-02-9.

  • C.R. Magill and K.J. McAneney. ''Probabilistic assessment of future vent locations and eruption styles for the Auckland Volcanic Field, New Zealand'', Proceedings of the International Association for Mathematical Geology 2003, Portsmouth, UK, September 7-12, 2003.

  • Ernest J. Searle, revised by R.D. Mayhill. ''City of Volcanoes: A geology of Auckland'', Longman Paul, 1981. First published 1964. ISBN 0-582-71784-1.

  • Sharon R. Allen, Vivienne F. Bryner, Ian E. M. Smith, Peter F. Ballance. ''Facies analysis of pyroclastic deposits within basaltic tuff-rings of the Auckland volcanic field, New Zealand'', New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics abstracts, New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 1996, Vol. 39: 309-327 0028-8306/96/3902-0309 $2.50/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand 1996.



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