Madlazim, Muhammad Nurul Fahmi, Sorja Koesuma, Ella Meilianda
This study analyses the centroid moment tensor (CMT) of the Mw 5.2 earthquake that struck Lake Taupo, New Zealand, on November 30, 2022, which unexpectedly generated a 1 m tsunami with four runups despite its moderate magnitude. Using five local seismic stations and time-domain moment-tensor inversion, the results show a dominant compensated linear vector dipole (CLVD) component (≈ 72%), with variance-reduction = 75%, centroid depth of 4 km, and negligible double-couple contribution. These quantitative parameters indicate a volcano-tectonic origin linked to magmatic overpressure within the Taupo volcanic zone (TVZ). The upward vertical component of the CLVD mechanism caused the sudden uplift of lake water, producing the observed tsunami. This study provides the first quantified evidence of volcanic-triggered tsunamis in the TVZ, emphasising the need to incorporate shallow magmatic pressure mechanisms into future seismic-tsunami hazard assessments in New Zealand. © The Author(s) 2025.
Department of Physics, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Ketintang str., Ketintang, Surabaya, 60231, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Universitas Sebelas Maret, 36 Ir. Sutami str, Kota Surakarta, 57126, Indonesia; Department of Disaster Science, Universitas Syiah Kuala, Teuku Nyak Arief str, Aceh, Kota Banda, 23111, Indonesia
