There is no geophysical evidence for the Mahuika Crater on the continental shelf southwest of New Zealand

ABSTRACT

This study examines new bathymetric and geophysical evidence that questions the existence of the Mahuika Crater: a proposed impact depression 20.2 km wide lying on the continental shelf ∼250 km SW of New Zealand. Multibeam echo sounder and sub-bottom profiler data across the published location of the crater were collected and synthesised with existing bathymetric data for the wider region to assess the validity of such a claim. We conclude that there is no geophysical basis for the existence for the Mahuika impact crater in the region, the initial presumption of a crater was unsubstantiated, and is a myth propagated in the literature.

KEYWORDS:

• Bathymetry
• comet
• impact crater
• seafloor
• multibeam
• Snares Islands/Tini Heke

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in Zenodo at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6618253.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the captain, crew, and scientists on the RV Tangaroa voyage TAN1106. I would also like acknowledge the voyage leader, Dr Helen Bostock, for allowing time to survey the region during the voyage and for providing feedback on the manuscript. I would like to also thank the Dr Alan Orpin, Tony Bromley and Dr Peter Hairsine for their useful comments.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).