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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

Ancient aqueous environments at Endeavour crater, Mars Ancient aqueous environments at Endeavour crater, Mars

Opportunity has investigated in detail rocks on the rim of the Noachian age Endeavour crater, where orbital spectral reflectance signatures indicate the presence of Fe+3-rich smectites. The signatures are associated with fine-grained, layered rocks containing spherules of diagenetic or impact origin. The layered rocks are overlain by breccias, and both units are cut by calcium sulfate...
Authors
R. E. Arvidson, S. W. Squyres, J.F. Bell, J.G. Catalano, B.C. Clark, L.S. Crumpler, P.A. de Souza, A.G. Fairén, W. H. Farrand, V.K. Fox, Ralf Gellert, A. Ghosh, M.P. Golombeck, J.P. Grotzinger, E.A. Guinness, Kenneth E. Herkenhoff, B.L. Jolliff, A.H. Knoll, R. Li, S. M. McLennan, D. W. Ming, D. W. Mittlefehldt, Johnnie N. Moore, R.V. Morris, S.L. Murchie, T. J. Parker, G. Paulsen, J.W. Rice, S. W. Ruff, M. D. Smith, M.J. Wolff

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

Science during crisis: the application of social science during major environmental crises Science during crisis: the application of social science during major environmental crises

Historical and contemporary experience suggests that science plays an increasingly critical role in governmental and institutional responses to major environmental crises. Recent examples include major western wildfires (2009), the Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010), the Fukushima nuclear accident (2011), and Hurricane Sandy (2012). The application of science during such crises has...
Authors
Gary Machlis, Kris Ludwig

Structure and seismic hazard of the Ventura Avenue anticline and Ventura fault, California: Prospect for large, multisegment ruptures in the Western Transverse Ranges Structure and seismic hazard of the Ventura Avenue anticline and Ventura fault, California: Prospect for large, multisegment ruptures in the Western Transverse Ranges

The Ventura Avenue anticline is one of the fastest uplifting structures in southern California, rising at ∼5  mm/yr. We use well data and seismic reflection profiles to show that the anticline is underlain by the Ventura fault, which extends to seismogenic depth. Fault offset increases with depth, implying that the Ventura Avenue anticline is a fault‐propagation fold. A decrease in the...
Authors
Judith Hubbard, John H. Shaw, James F. Dolan, Thomas L. Pratt, Lee J. McAuliffe, Thomas K. Rockwell

CyberShake-derived ground-motion prediction models for the Los Angeles region with application to earthquake early warning CyberShake-derived ground-motion prediction models for the Los Angeles region with application to earthquake early warning

Real-time applications such as earthquake early warning (EEW) typically use empirical ground-motion prediction equations (GMPEs) along with event magnitude and source-to-site distances to estimate expected shaking levels. In this simplified approach, effects due to finite-fault geometry, directivity and site and basin response are often generalized, which may lead to a significant under-...
Authors
Maren Bose, Robert Graves, David Gill, Scott Callaghan, Phillip J. Maechling

Latest Quaternary paleoseismology and evidence of distributed dextral shear along the Mohawk Valley fault zone, northern Walker Lane, California Latest Quaternary paleoseismology and evidence of distributed dextral shear along the Mohawk Valley fault zone, northern Walker Lane, California

The dextral-slip Mohawk Valley fault zone (MVFZ) strikes northwestward along the eastern margin of the Sierra Nevada in the northern Walker Lane. Geodetic block modeling indicates that the MVFZ may accommodate ~3 mm/yr of regional dextral strain, implying that it is the highest slip-rate strike-slip fault in the region; however, only limited geologic data are available to constrain the...
Authors
Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Stephen Personius, Anthony J. Crone, Shannon A. Mahan, Stephen Angster

Predicting the spatial extent of liquefaction from geospatial and earthquake specific parameters Predicting the spatial extent of liquefaction from geospatial and earthquake specific parameters

The spatially extensive damage from the 2010-2011 Christchurch, New Zealand earthquake events are a reminder of the need for liquefaction hazard maps for anticipating damage from future earthquakes. Liquefaction hazard mapping as traditionally relied on detailed geologic mapping and expensive site studies. These traditional techniques are difficult to apply globally for rapid response or...
Authors
Jing Zhu, Laurie G. Baise, Eric M. Thompson, David J. Wald, Keith L. Knudsen

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

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
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