Continental drilling through the shallow Alpine fault, New Zealand

发震断层带的断层泥提供了与地震机制有关的关键信息，是各种国际减灾中心倡议的重点。最近，新西兰阿尔卑斯山断层向ICDP提交了一份预先建议，随后在2009年3月举行了一次研讨会，因此我们现在提议建造一个低成本的试点钻孔(300米深)，为2011年初通过该断层的ICDP深度钻探做好准备。该洞将毗邻已经由英国和新西兰资助的300米长的洞，将提供(1)用于断裂带和围岩成分的矿物学-岩石学研究的额外岩心材料，(2)在地震条件下(高达200兆帕正应力和200摄氏度)进行岩土工程测试的完整圆形岩心，以及(3)未来长期仪器和现场监测的选择。这种方法将有助于评估ICDP深井中的预期情况，阿尔卑斯山断层泥物质是否能够引发大震级地震，以及什么过程控制着断裂带的矿物蚀变。简而言之，这个低成本的钻孔将最大限度地扩大先导研究成果，并为德国研究人员提供立即进入ICDP这一具有挑战性的深层钻探工作的途径。

Gouge from seismogenic fault zones provide key information associated with earthquake mechanisms and were/are the focus of various ICDP initiatives. Most recently, the Alpine Fault, New Zealand, was subject to a pre-proposal to ICDP, which was followed by a workshop in March 2009, so that we now propose a low-budget pilot drill hole (300 m depth) to set the stage for future deep ICDP drilling through the fault in early 2011. The hole will be adjacent to a 300-m hole already funded by UK and NZ and would provide (i) extra core material for mineralogical-petrological studies of the fault zone and wall rock composition, (ii) whole round cores for geotechnical testing under seismogenic conditions (up to 200 MPa normal stress and 200°C), and (iii) an option for future long-term instrumentation and in situ monitoring. The approach will help to assess what has to be expected in the deep ICDP hole, whether the Alpine Fault gouge material is capable of generating large magnitude earthquakes, and what processes govern fault zone mineralogical alteration. In short, this low-cost drill hole will maximise the pilot study outcome and provide German researchers immediate access to this challenging ICDP deep drilling effort.