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Aaron Wech

My research focuses on developing techniques for tracking non-earthquake seismicity. By applying these techniques to seismic data across broad spatial and temporal scales, I analyze the patterns to investigate underlying earthquake and volcano source processes. I incorporate these techniques into automatic monitoring and alarm systems for regional seismic networks and volcano observatories.

Professional Experience

  • 2015 – present - Research Geophysicist, Volcano Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK

  • 2013 – 2015 - Mendenhall Postdoctoral Fellow, Volcano Science Center, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK

  • 2010 – 2013 - Postdoctoral Fellow, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand

Education and Certifications

  • 2010 – Ph.D. Geophysics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA

  • 2005 – B.S. Mathematics & Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 13

Cataloging tectonic tremor energy radiation in the Cascadia subduction zone

For the past ∼12 years the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network has been automatically detecting and locating tectonic tremor across the Cascadia subduction zone, resulting in a catalog of more than 500,000 tremor epicenters to date, which has served as a valuable resource for tremor and slip research. This manuscript presents an updated methodology for routine tremor detection in Cascadia and a new
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Deep long-period earthquakes generated by second boiling beneath Mauna Kea volcano

Deep long-period earthquakes (DLPs) are an enigmatic type of volcanic seismicity that sometimes precedes eruptions but mostly occurs at quiescent volcanoes. These earthquakes are depleted in high-frequency content and typically occur near the base of the crust. We observed a near-periodic, long- lived sequence of more than one million DLPs in the past 19 years beneath the dormant postshield Mauna
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Infrasound generated by the 2016-2017 shallow submarine eruption of Bogoslof volcano, Alaska

The 2016–2017 shallow submarine eruption of Bogoslof volcano produced numerous infrasound signals over 9 months that were recorded on six Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) arrays at ranges of 59 to over 800 km from the volcano. The lack of geophysical monitoring near Bogoslof and the repeated production of volcanic clouds to flight levels made monitoring by remote infrasound critical during the eru
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Upper plate heterogeneity along the Southern Hikurangi Margin, New Zealand

Controlled and natural source seismic data are used to build a 3-D P wave model for southern North Island, New Zealand, where the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Australian Plate at a rate of ~41 mm/year. Our analysis reveals an abrupt along-strike transition in overthrusting plate structure within Cook Strait. Contrasts in properties (Vp, Vp/Vs, and Qs) likely reflects the degree of deformatio
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Constraints on eruption processes and event masses for the 2016–2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, Alaska, through evaluation of IASI satellite SO2 masses and complementary datasets

Bogoslof volcano, Alaska, experienced at least 70 explosive eruptions between 12 December 2016 and 31 August 2017. Due to its remote location and limited local monitoring network, this eruption was monitored and characterized primarily using remote geophysical and satellite techniques. SO2 emissions from Bogoslof were persistently detected by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI)
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Seismo-acoustic evidence for vent drying during shallow submarine eruptions at Bogoslof volcano, Alaska

Characterizing the state of the volcanic vent is key for interpreting observational datasets and accurately assessing volcanic hazards. This is particularly true for remote, complex eruptions such as the 2016–2017 Bogoslof volcano, Alaska eruption sequence. Bogoslof’s eruptions in this period were either shallow submarine or subaerial, or some combination of both. Our results demonstrate how low-f
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Overview, chronology, and impacts of the 2016–2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, Alaska

The 2016–2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, a back-arc shallow submarine volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian arc, began in December 2016 and included 70 explosive events and at least two episodes of subaerial dome building. Because the volcano had no local monitoring stations during the eruption, a combination of distant seismic stations, regional infrasound sensors, lightning detection, a variety of sat
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Infrasound from giant bubbles during explosive submarine eruptions

Shallow submarine volcanoes pose unique scientific and monitoring challenges. The interaction between water and magma can create violent explosions just below the surface, but the inaccessibility of submerged volcanoes means they are typically not instrumented. This both increases the risk to marine and aviation traffic and leaves the underlying eruption physics poorly understood. Here we use low-
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Dynamically triggered changes of plate interface coupling in Southern Cascadia

In Southern Cascadia, precise Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) measurements spanning about 15 years reveal steady deformation due to locking on the Cascadia megathrust punctuated by transient deformation from large earthquakes and episodic tremor and slip events. Near the Mendocino Triple Junction, however, we recognize several abrupt GNSS velocity changes that reflect a different process
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Short-term forecasting and detection of explosions during the 2016–2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, Alaska

We describe a multidisciplinary approach to forecast, rapidly detect, and characterize explosive events during the 2016–2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, a back-arc shallow submarine volcano in Alaska’s Aleutian arc. The eruptive sequence began in December 2016 and included about 70 discrete explosive events. Because the volcano has no local monitoring stations, we used distant stations on the ne
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Using earthquakes, T waves, and infrasound to investigate the eruption of Bogoslof Volcano, Alaska

The 2016‐2017 eruption of Bogoslof volcano, a submarine stratovolcano in the Bering Sea, produced 70 discrete explosive eruptions over 8 months. With no local monitoring data, activity was seismically recorded on nearby islands 50‐100 km away, limiting the detection and resolution of seismic observations. We construct a matched filter catalog of 3199 events from 49 earthquake families, many of whi
By
Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center

Plateau subduction, intraslab seismicity, and the Denali (Alaska) volcanic gap

Tectonic tremors in Alaska (USA) are associated with subduction of the Yakutat plateau, but their origins are unclear due to lack of depth constraints. We have processed tremor recordings to extract low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs), and generated a set of six LFE waveform templates via iterative network matched filtering and stacking. The timing of impulsive P (compressional) wave and S (shear) wa
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Volcano Hazards Program, Volcano Science Center
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Image: Geologic Studies on Sitkinak Island, Alaska

Alaska-Aleutian Subduction Zone Studies

Our research team is exploring seismic and aseismic slip along the Alaska-Aleutian arc and studying the prehistoric record of megathrust earthquakes and tsunamis along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zoneSeismic and Aseismic Slip: Tectonic tremor and associated slow slip events represent a newly discovered part of the earthquake cycle. This research aims to understand the process generating...
By
Alaska Science Center
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Alaska-Aleutian Subduction Zone Studies

Our research team is exploring seismic and aseismic slip along the Alaska-Aleutian arc and studying the prehistoric record of megathrust earthquakes and tsunamis along the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zoneSeismic and Aseismic Slip: Tectonic tremor and associated slow slip events represent a newly discovered part of the earthquake cycle. This research aims to understand the process generating...
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Science and Products