The Raukumara paleomagnetic domain: Constraints on the tectonic rotation of the East Coast, North Island, New Zealand, from paleomagnetic data

Abstract

New paleomagnetic data from Miocene (Altonian-Otaian) sediments from the northeastern part of the Raukumara Peninsula gave declinations close to those expected for the Australian plate (c. 20° for 20 Ma rocks), and imply that no net tectonic rotation has affected this region since that time, in contrast to the large declinations and large clockwise tectonic rotations previously recorded for the Gisborne-Wairoa region. The boundary between these two regions is constrained to lie within a broad 50 km zone between Tokomaru Bay and Gisborne.

Keywords:

• paleomagnetism
• Miocene
• sediments
• plate tectonics
• rotation
• Raukumara Domain
• Wairoa Domain
• East Coast
• North Island