Taranaki Branch

Unless otherwise stated meetings are held at 7.30pm, New Plymouth Girls High School, Room N2. Approach from main drive between "new" (only 50 years old) and old (100+ years) classroom blocks.

Subs: Thank you to the large number of prompt payers. $15 individual / $20 family to Margaret Wilson, 52 Paynter's Ave, if you still owe your sub. Members of GSNZ are automatically members of Taranaki branch and are not expected to pay a further $15/$20 sub to the local branch.

NEXT EVENTS:

Volcano Monitoring in Colima, Mexico
A brief background on the volcano that the volunteer program is based around (Volcán de Fuego de Colima), followed by an overview of the different monitoring methods used at the volcano, along with some of their advantages and limitations, coupled with a few light-hearted photos and anecdotes of the experience of working as a volunteer.

Sophie is also prepared to talk to those interested (after the main meeting) on her MSc project at Victoria University on the crystal-specific geochemistry and petrology of the historical Ngauruhoe lava flows, with a particular focus on the diffusion modelling of zoning within clinopyroxene phenocrysts as a tool to calculate timescales of events in the volcanic plumbing system prior to eruptions. The broad diffusion modelling concept is interesting and can be explained quite simply to someone without a background in geochemistry.

Monday March 5th NPGHS, Room N2, 7.30pm
Bruce Hayward (Hochstetter lecturer in 2006)

Volcanoes of Auckland
The talk will include aspects of the volcanic heritage plus all sorts of aspects of the field: age, volcanic risk, styles of eruption, kinds of landform, lava caves, fossil forests, lost heritage.

Monday April 2nd NPGHS, Room N2, 7.30pm.
To be arranged

Monday May 7th NPGHS N2 7.30pm (after much discussion of a suitable date, this is Mike's latest suggestion, our usual night)

Mike Isaac (GNS), 2012 Hochstetter lecture
"Oligocene drowning of Zealandia: how wet did it get?"  
The talk is about paleogeography, biostratigraphy, absolute dating, fossils, petrography and rates of change - whether Zealandia was or was not totally submerged has major implications for the origins of our native flora and fauna (Gondwana relicts or not?).

Monday June 4th NPGHS, Room N2,  7.30pm. AGM