Job title: Senior Lecturer
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 x 87412
Office: Bldg 301 Rm 1066
Postal: School of Environment, The University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland
Email: j.rowland@auckland.ac.nz

2001   University of Otago, PhD, Geology

1997   University of Auckland, BSc (Hons), Geology

1986   Auckland College of Education, Trained Teachers Certificate

1984   Auckland College of Education, Dip. Tchg (Secondary)

Julie Rowland’s research centres on understanding how continental crust breaks apart in extensional environments, particularly when magma is involved. Major interests include deciphering the interactions between magmatism, volcanism and tectonism, with implications for hazard and resources (geothermal and mineral).  JR also is interested in understanding whether and how structures affect the migration of magma in monogenetic volcanic systems, especially the Auckland Volcanic Field.

Current Projects

Continental break-up in Afar, Ethiopia [funded through Marsden RSNZ and NERC UK]

The largest tear in the Earth’s crust for many decades was formed in a remote part of Ethiopia in September 2005. In just 2 weeks, more than 160 earthquakes of magnitude 3.9 to 5.6 pulled apart the entire 60 km length of the Dabbahu rift by up to 8 m. Dozens of newly –formed open fissures, massive rock falls and >2 m high cliffs (representing surface fault ruptures) were triggered by the mid-crustal intrusion of long thin sheets of magma (dikes).  This episode is still in process with 13 injections of magma so far recorded, the most recent in July 2009.  The volume of intruded and extruded rock is massive (>3 cubic km), exceeding that of the 1975-1984 intrusion sequence at Krafla in Iceland, previously held to be the type example of this process.

The Dabbahu rifting episode is the first recorded in the era of satellite geodesy and the best monitored the world has ever seen. It affords a unique opportunity to quantify the processes during a single rifting event. Such observations are vital for understanding the basic physics of plate tectonic processes, and to develop hazard assessment and mitigation programmes in magmatic rift elsewhere.

JR is undertaking field and remote sensing studies of dike-induced brittle strain, and paleomagnetic studies of regional block rotations, as part of an international consortium of academics, PhD students and researchers who are monitoring and investigating this rifting process. More information can be found on the Afar Consortium homepage.

 

Recent ground break associated with the intrusion of magma

along the Dabbahu rift, Ethiopia.

Typical morphology of the Dabbahu rift, Ethiopia.

Tesfaye Kidane measuring fresh slip on a fault in the Dabbahu

Rift, Ethiopia.

Recent rock fall associated with dike-induced ground shaking

and fault slip, Dabbahu Rift, Ethiopia.

Current students

Barbara Hofmann is undertaking a PhD to investigate the evolution of faults and fault systems in the Dabbahu rift. She is based at the University of Leeds and is working with Tim Wright and JR.

Barbara at White Island, New Zealand, 2009.

Structural and tectonic controls on epithermal mineralisation [funded through FRST Minerals]

This project is aimed at understanding the structural context of the Hauraki Goldfields, Coromandel, which is New Zealand’s premier epithermal province. The type of mineral deposit found in this region forms in zones of strong permeability in the shallow parts of hydrothermal systems, and bonanza ore grades are commonly localised within steeply dipping faults and fractures that were clearly channels of strongly focussed flow. JR is working with Jeff Mauk’s ‘Minerals Group’ to decipher the physical vectors to mineralisation in this province.

 

Structural and tectonic controls on deep geothermal flow [funded through FRST Geothermal]

The tempo and range of tectonic and magmatic processes in central Taupo Volcanic Zone are exceptional. The heat output in this region is 10 times the continental average and is focused through over 20 high temperature geothermal fields. This project is aimed at understanding the deep pathways that conduct hot water from the base of the convection zone through to the near-surface within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand. JR's work contributes to a larger consortium style project involving Paul Hoskin and Kathy Campbell of the School of Environment, in addition to other researchers from Engineering Science, UOA, the Institute of Earth Science and Engineering, UOA, Victoria University, GNS Science, and IRL Ltd.

Small offset (~5m) normal faults dissect the Orakeikorako

Geothermal area.

Fluid discharge through a hydrothermal eruption vent, Champagne

Pool, Waiotapu.

Current students
Drew Downs, PhD Project: Tectonic and volcanic context of the Taupo-Reporoa Basin, North Island, New Zealand.

Drew checking that the depth of the trench is within the rules, 2010.

Christopher Scholz, PhD Project [funded through MRP Ltd.]: Tectonic evolution of the western margin to the Whakatane graben, North Island, New Zealand.

Jimmy (AKA Christopher) stuck in the mud in the Burt Trench, Matata, 2010.

David Dempsey, PhD Project: Tectonism and geothermal circulation in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

David modelling a hard hat instead of the TVZ.

Bryan Drake, MSc Project: Paleohydrology of the Mangatete sinter deposit, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand.

Bryan (on right) with Andrew Rae, GNS Science, and friends, Mangatete, TVZ.

Hannah Taylor, MSc Project: Using GPR to target faults in areas of rapid resurfacing, Rangitaiki Plains, New Zealand.

Hannah measuring fault offset in the Burt Trench, Matata, 2010.

Structural and tectonic controls on monogenetic volcanism [funded through DEVORA Project]

New Zealand's largest city, Auckland, is built on an active intraplate volcanic field. This project aims to understand the physical controls that affect the transport of molten rock from source to surface that leads to volcanic eruptions. JR's work with Nicolas Le Corvec contributes to a large consortium project: DEVORA - it's our volcano, which includes researchers from ENV, IESE, GNS Science, Auckland Regional Council, and massey University.

Current students

Nicolas Le Corvec, PhD Project: Physical controls on monogenetic basaltic volcanism, Auckland Volcanic Field

Nico checking out White Island, 2009.

2010         EBINGER, C.J.N., AYELE, A., KEIR, D., ROWLAND, J., YIRGU, G., Wright, T.J. ‘Time and length scales of rift faulting and magma intrusion: the 2005-to-present Afar rifting cycle’, Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 38, 437-464.

2010         WILSON. C.J.N., CHARLIER, B., ROWLAND, J.V., BROWNE, P.R.L., ‘U-Pb dating of zircon in subsurface, hydrothermally altered pyroclastic deposits and implications for subsidence in a magmatically active rift: taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand’, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 191, 69-78.

2010         McLELLAN, J.G., OLIVER, N.H.S., HOBBS, B.E., ROWLAND, J.V., ‘Modelling fluid convection stability in continental faulted rifts with applications to the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand’, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 190, 109-122.

     

2010         Rowland, J.V., Wilson, C.J.N., Gravley, D.M. 'Spatial and temporal variations in magma-assisted rifting, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand', J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res.,190, 89-108.

2009         Wilson, C.J.N., Gravley, D.M., Leonard, G.S., Rowland, J.V. 'Volcanism in the central Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand: tempo, styles and controls', From: Thordaron, T., Self, S., Larsen, G., Rowland, S.K., Hoskuldsson, A. (eds) Studies in Volcanology: The Legacy of George Walker. Special Publ. IAVCEI, 2, 225-247. Geol. Soc. Lond.

2009         Kidane, T., Otofuji, Y-I., Komatsu, Y., Shibasaki, H., Rowland, J. ‘Paleomagnetism of the Fentale-magmatic segment, amin Ethiopian Rift: New evidence for counterclockwise block rotation linked to transtensional deformation’, Phys. Earth Planet. Int., 176, 109-123.

2009         KEIR, D., HAMLING, I., AYELE, A., CALAIS, E., EBINGER, C., WRIGHT, T.J., JACQUES, E., MOHAMMED, K., HAMMOND, J.S., BELACHEW, M., BAKER, E., ROWLAND, J., LEWI, E., BENNATI, L., ‘Evidence for focused magmatic accretion at segment centers from lateral dike injections captured beneath the Red Sea rift in Afar’, Geology, 37, 59-62.

2007         ROWLAND, J.V.,  BAKER, E.,  EBINGER, C.,  KEIR, D.,  KIDANE, T.,  BIGGS, J.,  HAYWARD, N.,  WRIGHT, T.J.  'Fault growth at a nascent slow-spreading ridge: 2005 Dabbahu rifting episode, Afar', Geophysical Journal International, 171, p1226-1246.

2007         CAMPBELL, M.E.,  ROWLAND, J.V.,  WRIGHT, I.C.,  SMITH, I.E.M.  'Oblique rifting along the central and southern Kermadec Arc front (30-36S), SW Pacific', Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 8, (1), p1-21.

2007         SPORLI, K.B.,  ROWLAND, J.V.  'Superposed deformation in turbidites and syn-sedimentary slides of the tectonically active Miocene Waitemata Basin, northern New Zealand', Basin Research, 19, p199-216.

2006         SPORLI, K.B.,  BEGBIE, M. J.,  IRWIN, M.R.,  ROWLAND, J.V.  Structural processes and tectonic controls on the epithermal Au-Ag deposits of the Hauraki Goldfield, In:Tony Christie, Bob Brathwaite (ed.), Geology and exploration of New Zealand Mineral Deposits., Victoria, Australia, AusIMM, p.85-94.

2006         NORTJE, G.S.,  ROWLAND, J.V.,  SPORLI, K.B.,  BLENKINSOP, T.G.,  RABONE, S.  'Vein deflections and thickness variations of epithermal quartz veins as indicators of fracture coaslescence', Journal of Structural Geology, 28, p1396-1405.

2006         SPORLI, K.B.,  ROWLAND, J.V.  ''Column on column' structures as indicators of lava/ice interaction, Ruapehu andesite volcano, New Zealand', Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 157, (4), p294-310.

2004         ROWLAND, J.V., SIBSON, R.H.  'Structural controls on hydrothermal flow in a segmented rift system, Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand', Geofluids, 4, (4), p259-283.

2003         SIBSON, R. H.,  ROWLAND, J.V.  'Stress, fluid-pressure, and structural permeability in seismogenic crust, North Island, New Zealand.', Geophysical Journal International, 154, (2), p584-594.

2001         ROWLAND, J.V.,  SIBSON, R. H.  'Extensional fault kinematics within the Taupo Volcanic Zone, New Zealand: soft-linked segmentation of a continental rift system.', New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, 44, (2), p271-283.

In progress

David Dempsey, PhD Project: Tectonism and geothermal circulation in the Taupo Volcanic Zone.

Drew Downs, PhD Project: Tectonic and volcanic context of the Taupo-Reporoa Basin, North Island, New Zealand.

Bryan Drake, MSc Project: Paleohydrology of the Mangatete sinter deposit, Taupo Volcnaic Zone, New Zealand.

Barbara Hofmann, PhD Project: Evolution of faults and fault systems in the Dabbahu rift, University of Leeds.

Nicolas Le Corvec, PhD Project: Physical controls on monogenetic basaltic volcanism, Auckland Volcanic Field.

Christopher Scholz, PhD Project [funded through MRP Ltd.]: Tectonic evolution of the western margin to the Whakatane graben, North Island, New Zealand.

Hannah Taylor, MSc Project: Using GPR to target faults in areas of rapid resurfacing, Rangitaiki Plains, New Zealand.

Completed

2010 Simon Aiken, MSc, Catchment evolution in an active orogen.

2008 James Muirhead, MSc: Controls on the Ferrar Intrusive Rocks of Allan hills & Terr Cotta Mountain, Antartica.

2008 James Mortimer, MSc: Structural controls on epithermal mineralisation, Favona Deposit, Cormandel.

2008 Simon York, BSc (Hons): Dike-induced coulomb stress transfer - a modelling approach.

2007 Alison Kirkby, MSc: Geophysical study of the Hauraki Rift - Coromandel boundary fault.

2006 Iain Levy, BSc (Hons): Structure of carbonate veins, Leigh.

2006 Annette O'Leary, MSc: Structure of the Matata block.

2006 Daniel Hatton, MSc: Basin-scale faults, Matheson Bay, Leigh.

2006 Sean Berry, MSc: Hydrogeology of the Auckland Volcanic Field.

2005 Kim Peckett, MSc: Volcanoes of the northern Kermadec Arc.

2005 Andy O'Loan, MSc: Geology of the Hauhungaroa range, Taupo Volcanic Zone.

2004 Chris Hughes, MSc: Geology of the northern rim of Taupo Caldera, TVZ

2004 Ellen Campbell, MSc: Structure and volcanology of the Kermadec Arc-Backarc

2004 Ed Corkery, MSc: Landscape evolution of the Puaiti-Whirinaki Fault Block, TVZ

2003 Simon Smith, MSc: Structural controls on epithermal mineralisation at Karangahake, Coromandel Peninsual, New Zealand.

2003 Gustav Nortje, MSc:Structural controls on epithermal mineralisation at Broken Hills, Coromandel Peninsula, New Zealand.

2003 Peter Wujkowski, MSc: Hydrology of fractured bedrock aquifers, Waiheke Island.