Unloading Uplift Caused by Surface Processes in New Zealand's Southern Alps

Abstract

Abstract The Southern Alps experiences rapid bedrock uplift and intense surface processes like erosion and deglaciation. We quantify how the erosion and deglaciation contribute to the ongoing vertical motions using geophysical models. The erosional unloading uplift is found to be 0.5–1.5 mm/yr throughout the central Southern Alps, whereas the recent deglaciation may locally produce uplift up to 1–3 mm/yr. The estimated unloading uplift accounts for 10%–40% of the GNSS‐observed uplift. After correcting the unloading uplift, the GNSS‐observed uplift can be explained by about 4–6 mm/yr dip‐slip motion on the Alpine fault, which is 10%–50% below previous geodetic estimates. Hence, unloading uplift must be evaluated when interpreting geodetic observations in tectonically active mountain ranges subjected to intense surface processes.

Keywords

• Southern Alps
• tectonic uplift
• surface processes
• GNSS
• unloading uplift