Exposure of the Alpine Fault at Gaunt Creek, New Zealand (view looking south). This is one of the best exposed sections of a dominantly strike-slip fault, made visible because of a landslide that exposed the fault. The dashed line shows the approximate position of the fault trace, which separates the Pacific Plate (left/east side) from the Australian Plate (right/west side). This is primarily a right lateral fault so the Pacific Plate is moving away from us, and the Australian plate is moving toward us. There is also a component of convergence, which is seen in the overthrusting of the Pacific Plate onto gravels of the Australian Plate. This can be seen along the horizontal segment of the fault trace. This section of the fault last ruptured in the early 1700’s.

Credit: Kevin Furlong, Penn State University