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NZC Visiting Fellow Christopher Pearson Visits Peking University
2018/09/28 - Peking University hosted Christopher Pearson, a Research Fellow from the School of Surveying at Otago University, as a Visiting Fellow. He presented two seminars on the 25th and 28th of September, which received a positive reception by his host professor and his doctoral students of Geophysics. Dr Pearson also received research sponsorship from the School of Earth and Space Sciences of Peking University
Dr Pearson arrived at Peking University on September 10th 2018. He was hosted by Professor Shiyong Zhou from the Department of Geophysics. The two professors discussed possible research collaboration opportunities based on shared data. Dr Pearson specialises in square adjustments and geodesy, and works internationally to develop modernized geodetic datums, including in the Philippines and Nepal. He discussed his contribution to introducing a new geodetic datum in Nepal in his seminar entitled ‘Towards a Semi-Dynamic Datum for Nepal after the 2015 Gorka Earthquake’.
Dr. Christopher Pearson and his host Prof. Shiyong Zhou In his seminar he discusses how a new geodetic system is required to correct distortions in the geodetic reference system following the Gorka Earthquake. This new datum incorporates the National Deformation Model (NDM), which has the capacity to correct displacement & ongoing tectonic deformation associated with Nepal’s location on the India/Eurasian plate boundary. This required that new coordinates be determined for Nepal’s control network. Through processing two and a half years of data, 27 coordinates for these stations have been determined. An accurate datum transformation and resulting distortion grid will be achieved through comparing new “semi-dynamic” coordinates and the existing “Nepal-Everest” coordinates.
Dr. Christopher Pearson lecturing at Peking University His second seminar entitled ‘A comparison of plate boundary deformation in the western US and New Zealand’ was delivered on the 28th of September. Here, he compares plate boundary deformation in the San Andreas Fault in California and the Alpine fault in New Zealand. He discusses how the plate vectors in these two places accommodate motion in different ways. Whereas the Alpine fault takes up 70% of both parallel and normal component of plate formation, the San Andreas fault only accommodates the parallel component of deformation. This supports models of a weak San Andreas fault, and a strong Alpine fault. He further comments that in both cases ‘block rotation’ makes significant contribution to adjacent subduction zones, but has only a minimal contribution to accommodating relative plate motion. The exchange provided a good opportunity to share expertise, and enrich the Geophysics discipline. In addition, data sharing and project collaboration between these professors contributed to strengthening the relationship between New Zealand Universities and Peking University.
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