Publications
Educational Publications
Educational Publications
Selected publications about earthquakes In plain language.
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What do data used to develop ground-motion prediction equations tell us about motions near faults? What do data used to develop ground-motion prediction equations tell us about motions near faults?
A large database of ground motions from shallow earthquakes occurring in active tectonic regions around the world, recently developed in the Pacific Earthquake Engineering Center’s NGA-West2 project, has been used to investigate what such a database can say about the properties and processes of crustal fault zones. There are a relatively small number of near-rupture records, implying...
Authors
David M. Boore
Annual and seasonal distribution of intertidal foraminifera and stable carbon isotope geochemistry, Bandon Marsh, Oregon, USA Annual and seasonal distribution of intertidal foraminifera and stable carbon isotope geochemistry, Bandon Marsh, Oregon, USA
We investigated the influence of inter-annual and seasonal differences on the distribution of live and dead foraminifera, and the inter-annual variability of stable carbon isotopes (d13C), total organic carbon (TOC) values and carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratios in bulk sediments from intertidal environments of Bandon Marsh (Oregon, USA). Living and dead foraminiferal species from 10...
Authors
Yvonne Milker, Benjamin Horton, Christopher Vane, Simon Engelhart, Alan R. Nelson, Robert C. Witter, Nicole S. Khan, William Bridgeland
Holocene and latest Pleistocene paleoseismology of the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah, at the Penrose Drive Trench Site Holocene and latest Pleistocene paleoseismology of the Salt Lake City segment of the Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah, at the Penrose Drive Trench Site
The Salt Lake City segment (SLCS) of the Wasatch fault zone (WFZ) and the West Valley fault zone (WVFZ) compromise Holocene-active normal faults that bound a large intrabasin graben in northern Salt Lake Valley and have evidence of recurrent, large-magnitude (M ~6-7) surface-faulting earthquakes. However, at the time of this investigation, questions remained regarding the timing...
Authors
Christopher B. DuRoss, Michael D. Hylland, Greg N. McDonald, Anthony J. Crone, Stephen F. Personius, Ryan D. Gold, Shannon Mahan
Southern San Andreas Fault evaluation field activity: approaches to measuring small geomorphic offsets--challenges and recommendations for active fault studies Southern San Andreas Fault evaluation field activity: approaches to measuring small geomorphic offsets--challenges and recommendations for active fault studies
In southern California, where fast slip rates and sparse vegetation contribute to crisp expression of faults and microtopography, field and high‐resolution topographic data (
Authors
Katherine M. Scharer, J. Barrett Salisbury, J. Ramon Arrowsmith, Thomas K. Rockwell
Diverse rupture modes for surface-deforming upper plate earthquakes in the southern Puget Lowland of Washington State Diverse rupture modes for surface-deforming upper plate earthquakes in the southern Puget Lowland of Washington State
Earthquake prehistory of the southern Puget Lowland, in the north-south compressive regime of the migrating Cascadia forearc, reflects diverse earthquake rupture modes with variable recurrence. Stratigraphy and Bayesian analyses of previously reported and new 14C ages in trenches and cores along backthrust scarps in the Seattle fault zone restrict a large earthquake to 1040–910 cal yr B...
Authors
Alan R. Nelson, Stephen F. Personius, Brian L. Sherrod, Harvey M. Kelsey, Samuel Y. Johnson, Lee-Ann Bradley, Ray E. Wells
Elders recall an earlier tsunami on Indian Ocean shores Elders recall an earlier tsunami on Indian Ocean shores
Ten years on, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 26 December 2004 still looms large in efforts to reduce coastal risk. The disaster has spurred worldwide advances in tsunami detection and warning, tsunami-risk assessment, and tsunami awareness [Satake, 2014]. Nearly a lifetime has passed since the northwestern Indian Ocean last produced a devastating tsunami. Documentation of this tsunami, in...
Authors
Din Mohammad Kakar, Ghazala Naeem, Abdullah Usman, Haider Hasan, Hira Lohdi, Seshachalam Srinivasalu, Vanessa Andrade, C.P. Rajendran, Abdolmajid Naderi Beni, Mohammad Ali Hamzeh, Goesta Hoffmann, Noora Al Balushi, Nora Gale, Ardito Kodijat, Hermann M. Fritz, Brian F. Atwater
Late quaternary paleoseismology of the west valley fault zone: Insights from the Baileys Lake trench site Late quaternary paleoseismology of the west valley fault zone: Insights from the Baileys Lake trench site
No abstract available.
Authors
Michael D. Hylland, Christopher B. DuRoss, Greg N. McDonald, Susan S. Olig, Charles G. Oviatt, Shannon Mahan, Anthony J. Crone, Stephen F. Personius
Laboratory constraints on models of earthquake recurrence Laboratory constraints on models of earthquake recurrence
In this study, rock friction ‘stick-slip’ experiments are used to develop constraints on models of earthquake recurrence. Constant-rate loading of bare rock surfaces in high quality experiments produces stick-slip recurrence that is periodic at least to second order. When the loading rate is varied, recurrence is approximately inversely proportional to loading rate. These laboratory...
Authors
Nicholas M. Beeler, Terry Tullis, Jenni Junger, Brian D. Kilgore, David L. Goldsby
Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2013 East African Rift Seismicity of the Earth 1900-2013 East African Rift
The East African Rift system (EARS) is a 3,000-km-long Cenozoic age continental rift extending from the Afar triple junction, between the horn of Africa and the Middle East, to western Mozambique. Sectors of active extension occur from the Indian Ocean, west to Botswana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is the only rift system in the world that is active on a continent...
Authors
Gavin P. Hayes, Eric S. Jones, Timothy J. Stadler, William D. Barnhart, Daniel E. McNamara, Harley M. Benz, Kevin P. Furlong, Antonio Villaseñor
Key recovery factors for the August 24, 2014, South Napa Earthquake Key recovery factors for the August 24, 2014, South Napa Earthquake
Through discussions between the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) following the South Napa earthquake, it was determined that several key decision points would be faced by FEMA for which additional information should be sought and provided by USGS and its partners. This report addresses the four tasks that were agreed to. These tasks are (1)
Authors
Kenneth W. Hudnut, Thomas M. Brocher, Carol S. Prentice, John Boatwright, Benjamin A. Brooks, Brad T. Aagaard, J. Luke Blair, Jon Peter B. Fletcher, Jemile Erdem, Charles W. Wicks, Jessica R. Murray, Fred F. Pollitz, John O. Langbein, Jerry L. Svarc, David P. Schwartz, Daniel J. Ponti, Suzanne Hecker, Stephen B. DeLong, Carla M. Rosa, Brenda Jones, Rynn M. Lamb, Anne M. Rosinski, Timothy P. McCrink, Timothy E. Dawson, Gordon G. Seitz, Craig Glennie, Darren Hauser, Todd Ericksen, Dan Mardock, Don F. Hoirup, Jonathan D. Bray, Ron S. Rubin
History of late Holocene earthquakes at the Willow Creek site on the Nephi segment, Wasatch fault zone, Utah History of late Holocene earthquakes at the Willow Creek site on the Nephi segment, Wasatch fault zone, Utah
This 43-page report presents new data from the Willow Creek site that provides well-defined and narrow bounds on the times of the three youngest earthquakes on the southern strand of the Nephi segment, Wasatch Fault zone, and refines the time of the youngest earthquake to about 200 years ago. This is the youngest surface rupture on the entire Wasatch fault zone, which occurred about a...
Authors
Anthony J. Crone, Stephen F. Personius, Christopher DuRoss, Michael N. Machette, Shannon A. Mahan
Hillslope-scale experiment demonstrates role of convergence during two-step saturation Hillslope-scale experiment demonstrates role of convergence during two-step saturation
Subsurface flow and storage dynamics at hillslope scale are difficult to ascertain, often in part due to a lack of sufficient high-resolution measurements and an incomplete understanding of boundary conditions, soil properties, and other environmental aspects. A continuous and extreme rainfall experiment on an artificial hillslope at Biosphere 2's Landscape Evolution Observatory (LEO)...
Authors
A. I. Gevaert, A. J. Teuling, R. Uijlenhoet, Stephen B. DeLong, T. E. Huxman, L. A. Pangle, David D. Breshears, J. Chorover, John D. Pelletier, S. R. Saleska, X. Zeng, Peter A. Troch