Publications

Geophysical Research Letters (GRL) is the American Geophysical Union's premier journal of fast, groundbreaking communication. It rapidly publishes high- impact,letter-length articles, and it is the top-cited multidisciplinary geosciences journal over the past 10 years, with an impact factor that increased again in 2009, to 3.204. For manuscripts submitted to GRL, the median time to first...

We determined the stress parameter, Δσ, for the eight earthquakes studied by Atkinson and Boore (2006), using an updated dataset and a revised point-source stochastic model that captures the effect of a finite fault. We consider four geometrical-spreading functions, ranging from 1/R at all distances to two- or three-part functions. The Δσ values are sensitive to the rate of geometrical...

The October 3, 2009 (01:16:00 UTC), Olancha M5.2 earthquake caused extensive liquefaction as well as permanent horizontal ground deformation within a 1.2 km2area earthquake in Owens Valley in eastern California (USA). Such liquefaction is rarely observed during earthquakes of M ≤ 5.2. We conclude that subsurface conditions, not unusual ground motion, were the primary factors contributing...

Analysis of field data has led different investigators to conclude that the San Andreas Fault (SAF) has either anomalously low frictional sliding strength (μ 0.2) or strength consistent with standard laboratory tests (μ > 0.6). Arguments for the apparent weakness of the SAF generally hinge on conceptual models involving intrinsically weak gouge or elevated pore pressure within the fault...

The possibility that slab windows might form in the wake of ridge subduction was first conceptualized in the late 1970s as earth scientists explored the implications of plate tectonic theory in three dimensions. Acceptance of slab-window occurrence, however, has been a long time coming (McCrory and Wilson, this issue). With records of both current and past slab-window transients now...

A suite of geophysical logs has been acquired for structural, fluid flow and stress analysis of well 27-15 in the Desert Peak Geothermal Field, Nevada, in preparation for stimulation and development of an Enhanced Geothermal System (EGS). Advanced Logic Technologies Borehole Televiewer (BHTV) and Schlumberger Formation MicroScanner (FMS) image logs reveal extensive drilling-induced...

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based Global NavigationSatellite System (GNSS). Using signals transmitted by GPS satellites, the positions of ground‐based receivers can be calculated to high precision,making it possible to track the movement of points on the Earth's surface over time. Unlike older geodetic surveying methods which involved periodicallymeasuring angles...

[1] We explore the physical conditions that enable triggering of nonvolcanic tremor and earthquakes by considering local seismic activity on Vancouver Island, British Columbia during and immediately after the arrival of large-amplitude seismic waves from 30 teleseismic and 17 regional or local earthquakes. We identify tremor triggered by four of the teleseismic earthquakes. The close...

The Saddle Mountain fault, first recognized in the early 1970s, is now well mapped in the Hoodsport area, southeastern Olympic Peninsula (northwestern United States), on the basis of light detection and ranging (LIDAR) surveys, aerial photography, and trench excavations. Drowned trees and trench excavations demonstrate that the Saddle Mountain fault produced a MW 6.5–7.0 earthquake 1000...

We combine newspaper accounts and Nuttli's (1976) isoseismal map to assign modified Mercalli intensity (MMI) at 76 towns for the May 16, 1909 Northern Plains earthquake. The earthquake was felt across more than 1,500,000 km2 in the States of Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming and the Provinces of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

[1] Field data from channels in the Henry Mountains of Utah demonstrate that abundant coarse sediment can inhibit fluvial incision into bedrock by armoring channel beds (the cover effect). We compare several small channels that share tributary junctions and have incised into the same sedimentary bedrock unit (Navajo Sandstone) but contain differing amounts of coarse diorite clasts owing...

No abstract available.