The basement morphology under Tongariro National Park, southern Taupo Volcanic Zone

A deep, asymmetric trough underlies Tongariro National Park, extending from the southern end of Lake Taupo and reaching beneath Mt. Tongariro before diminishing near Mt. Ruapehu. This geological feature, up to 2.5 km deep, was revealed through analysis of gravity data collected in the 1950s and 1960s, processed into Bouguer anomalies at an elevation of 500 meters. Researchers separated regional and residual anomalies, derived sediment density-depth relationships from borehole measurements, and used 2D gravity modeling to construct a 3D structural model. The study provides critical insights into the subsurface morphology of the southern Taupo Volcanic Zone, contributing to our understanding of volcanic activity in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Robertson, E. I., & Davey, F. J. (2018). The basement morphology under Tongariro National Park, southern Taupo Volcanic Zone. New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 61(4), 570–577. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2018.1518247