Christopher B DuRoss
As an earthquake geologist, I investigate geologic evidence of active faulting, with an emphasis on normal-faulting regions of the Western U.S. My research is focused on field-based mapping and paleoseismic trenching investigations, Quaternary geochronology and geomorphology, syntheses of complex paleoseismic datasets, the characterization of active faults for probabilistic seismic-hazard analysis, and post-earthquake investigations to collect ephemeral field data. The goal of this research is to quantify seismic hazard in the U.S. and reduce earthquake risk.
Primary research interests:
- Paleoseismology and earthquake geology
- Quaternary geochronology and Bayesian modeling
- Tectonic geomorphology and geologic mapping
- Remote sensing and image-based (structure-from-motion) modeling
- Earthquake probability and hazard modeling
Areas of active research:
- Teton fault (Wyoming): Developing new paleoseismic (fault-trench) data to refine estimates of earthquake timing, displacement, rupture length, and magnitude.
Wasatch fault zone (Utah): Synthesizing existing paleoseismic data to develop objective contstraints on prehistoric earthquake rupture length. - Lost River fault zone (Idaho): Comparing prehistoric and historic (M6.9 Borah Peak earthquake) rupture timing, displacement, and geometry.
- 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence (California): Evaluating along-strike displacement profile for the M7.1 rupture.
Publications
DuRoss, C. B., M. S. Zellman, G. D. Thackray, R. W. Briggs, R. D. Gold, and S. A. Mahan (2020). Holocene Paleoseismology of the Steamboat Mountain Site: Evidence for Full‐Length Rupture of the Teton Fault, Wyoming, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120200212
DuRoss, C. B., R. D. Gold, T. E. Dawson, K. M. Scharer, K. J. Kendrick, S. O. Akciz, S. J. Angster, J. Bachhuber, S. Bacon, S. E. K. Bennett, et al. (2020). Surface Displacement Distributions for the July 2019 Ridgecrest, California, Earthquake Ruptures, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 110(4), 1400–1418, https://doi.org/10.1785/0120200058.
DuRoss, C. B., R. D. Gold, T. E. Dawson, K. M. Scharer, K. J. Kendrick, S. O. Akciz, S. J. Angster, J. Bachhuber, S. Bacon, S. E. K. Bennett, et al., 2020, Surface Displacement Observations of the 2019 Ridgecrest, California Earthquake Sequence: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P986ILE2.
Valentini, A., DuRoss, C.B., Field, E.H., Gold, R.D., Briggs, R.W., Visini, F., and Pace, B., 2019, Relaxing segmentation on the Wasatch fault zone: Impact on seismic hazard: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. https://doi.org
Professional Experience
2014 – present Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Golden, Colorado
2004 – 2014 Senior Geologist, Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, Utah
Science and Products
Holocene paleoseismology of the Steamboat Mountain Site: Evidence for full‐Llngth rupture of the Teton Fault, Wyoming
Seismic reflection imaging of the low-angle Panamint normal fault system, eastern California
Seismic analysis of the 2020 Magna, Utah, earthquake sequence: Evidence for a listric Wasatch fault
Documentation of Surface Fault Rupture and Ground‐Deformation Features Produced by the 4 and 5 July 2019 Mw 6.4 and Mw 7.1 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
Evidence of previous faulting along the 2019 Ridgecrest, California earthquake ruptures
Surface displacement distributions for the July 2019 Ridgecrest, California earthquake ruptures
Holocene earthquake history and slip rate of the southern Teton fault, Wyoming, USA
Relaxing segmentation on the Wasatch Fault Zone: Impact on seismic hazard
Holocene rupture history of the central Teton fault at Leigh Lake; Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Variable normal-fault rupture behavior, northern Lost River fault zone, Idaho, USA
The effect of stress changes on time-dependent earthquake probabilities for the central Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah, USA
Preliminary report on engineering and geological effects of the July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence
Science and Products
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Filter Total Items: 37
Holocene paleoseismology of the Steamboat Mountain Site: Evidence for full‐Llngth rupture of the Teton Fault, Wyoming
The 72‐km‐long Teton fault in northwestern Wyoming is an ideal candidate for reconstructing the lateral extent of surface‐rupturing earthquakes and testing models of normal‐fault segmentation. To explore the history of earthquakes on the northern Teton fault, we hand‐excavated two trenches at the Steamboat Mountain site, where the east‐dipping Teton fault has vertically displaced west‐sloping alluAuthorsChristopher DuRoss, Mark S. Zellman, Glenn D. Thackray, Richard W. Briggs, Ryan D. Gold, Shannon A. MahanSeismic reflection imaging of the low-angle Panamint normal fault system, eastern California
Shallowly dipping (<30°) low‐angle normal faults (LANFs) have been documented globally; however, examples of active LANFs in continental settings are limited. The western margin of the Panamint Range in eastern California is defined by a LANF that dips west beneath Panamint Valley and has evidence of Quaternary motion. In addition, high‐angle dextral‐oblique normal faults displace middle to late QAuthorsRyan D. Gold, William J. Stephenson, Richard W. Briggs, Christopher DuRoss, Eric Kirby, Edward W Woolery, Jaime Delano, Jackson K. OdumSeismic analysis of the 2020 Magna, Utah, earthquake sequence: Evidence for a listric Wasatch fault
The 18 March 2020 Mw 5.7 Magna earthquake near Salt Lake City, Utah, offers a rare glimpse into the subsurface geometry of the Wasatch fault system—one of the world's longest active normal faults and a major source of seismic hazard in northern Utah. We analyze the Magna earthquake sequence and resolve oblique-normal slip on a shallow (30–35°) west-dipping fault at ~9- to 12-km depth. Combined witAuthorsGuanning Pang, Keith D. Koper, Maria Messimeri, Kristine L. Pankow, Ben Baker, Jamie Farrell, James Holt, J. Mark Hale, Paul B. Robertson, Relu Burlacu, James C. Pechmann, Katherine Whidden, Monique M. Holt, Amir Allam, Christopher DuRossDocumentation of Surface Fault Rupture and Ground‐Deformation Features Produced by the 4 and 5 July 2019 Mw 6.4 and Mw 7.1 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence
The MwMw 6.4 and MwMw 7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence occurred on 4 and 5 July 2019 within the eastern California shear zone of southern California. Both events produced extensive surface faulting and ground deformation within Indian Wells Valley and Searles Valley. In the weeks following the earthquakes, more than six dozen scientists from government, academia, and the private sector carefullyAuthorsDaniel J. Ponti, James Luke Blair, Rosa Carla M, Kate Thomas, Alexandra Pickering, Sinan Akciz, Stephen J. Angster, Jean-Philipe Avouac, Jeffrey Bachhuber, Steven Bacon, Nicolas C. Barth, S. Bennett, Kelly Blake, Stephan Bork, Benjamin A. Brooks, Thomas Bullard, Paul A. Burgess, Colin Chupik, Timothy E. Dawson, Michael DeFrisco, Jaime E. Delano, Stephen B. DeLong, James D. Dolan, Andrea Donnellan, Christopher DuRoss, Todd Ericksen, Erik Frost, Gareth J. Funning, Ryan D. Gold, Nicholas A Graehl, Carlos Gutierrez, Elizabeth Haddon, Alexandra Elise Hatem, John Helms, Janis Hernandez, Christopher S. Hitchcock, Peter Holland, Kenneth W. Hudnut, Katherine J. Kendrick, Richard D Koehler, Ozgur Kozaci, Tyler C. Ladinsky, Robert Leeper, Christopher Madugo, Maxime Mareschal, James McDonald, Devin McPhillips, Christopher Milliner, Daniel Mongovin, Alexander Morelan, Stephanie Nale, Johanna Nevitt, Matt O'Neal, Brian J. Olsen, Michael Oskin, Salena Padilla, Jason Patton, Belle E. Philibosian, Ian Pierce, Cynthia Pridmore, Nathaniel Roth, David Sandwell, Katherine Scharer, Gordon G. Seitz, Drake Singleton, Bridget Smith-Konter, Eleanor Spangler, Brian J. Swanson, Jessica Thompson Jobe, Jerome Treiman, Francesca Valencia, Joshua Vanderwal, Alana Williams, Xiaohua Xu, Judith Zachariasen, Jade Zimmerman, Robert ZinkeEvidence of previous faulting along the 2019 Ridgecrest, California earthquake ruptures
The July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence in southeastern California was characterized as surprising because only ~35% of the rupture occurred on previously mapped faults. Employing more detailed inspection of pre-event high-resolution topography and imagery in combination with field observations, we document evidence of active faulting in the landscape along the entire fault system. Scarps, deAuthorsJessica Thompson Jobe, Belle E. Philibosian, Colin Chupik, Timothy E. Dawson, Scott E. K. Bennett, Ryan D. Gold, Christopher DuRoss, Tyler C. Ladinsky, Katherine J. Kendrick, Elizabeth Haddon, Ian Pierce, Brian J. Swanson, Gordon G. SeitzSurface displacement distributions for the July 2019 Ridgecrest, California earthquake ruptures
Surface rupture in the 2019 Ridgecrest, California, earthquake sequence occurred along two orthogonal cross faults and includes dominantly left‐lateral and northeast‐striking rupture in the Mw 6.4 foreshock and dominantly right‐lateral and northwest‐striking rupture in the Mw 7.1 mainshock. We present >650 field‐based, surface‐displacement observations for these ruptures and synthesize our resultsAuthorsChristopher DuRoss, Ryan D. Gold, Timothy E. Dawson, Katherine Scharer, Katherine J. Kendrick, Sinan Akciz, Stephen J. Angster, Jeffery Bachhuber, Steven Bacon, Scott E. K. Bennett, Luke Blair, Benjamin A. Brooks, Thomas Bullard, W. Paul Burgess, Colin Chupik, Michael DeFrisco, Jaime Delano, James D. Dolan, Erik Frost, Nick Graehl, Elizabeth Haddon, Alexandra Elise Hatem, Janis Hernandez, Christopher S. Hitchcock, Kennth Hudnut, Jessica Thompson Jobe, Richard D Koehler, Ozgur Kozaci, Tyler C. Ladinsky, Christopher Madugo, Devin McPhillips, Christopher Milliner, Alexander Morelan, Brian Olson, Jason Patton, Belle E. Philibosian, Alexandra J. Pickering, Ian Pierce, Daniel J. Ponti, Gordon G. Seitz, Eleanor Spangler, Brian J. Swanson, Kate Thomas, Jerome Treiman, Francesca Valencia, Alana Williams, Robert ZinkeHolocene earthquake history and slip rate of the southern Teton fault, Wyoming, USA
The 72-km-long Teton normal fault bounds the eastern base of the Teton Range in northwestern Wyoming, USA. Although geomorphic surfaces along the fault record latest Pleistocene to Holocene fault movement, the postglacial earthquake history of the fault has remained enigmatic. We excavated a paleoseismic trench at the Buffalo Bowl site along the southernmost part of the fault to determine its HoloAuthorsChristopher DuRoss, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Jaime E. Delano, Dean A. Ostenaa, Mark Zellman, Nicole Cholewinski, Seth Wittke, Shannon A. MahanRelaxing segmentation on the Wasatch Fault Zone: Impact on seismic hazard
The multisegment Wasatch fault zone is a well-studied normal fault in the western United States that has paleoseismic evidence of recurrent Holocene surface-faulting earthquakes. Along the 270-km-long central part of the fault, four primary structural complexities provide possible along-strike limits to these ruptures and form the basis for models of fault segmentation. Here, we assess the impactAuthorsAlessandro Valentini, Christopher DuRoss, Edward H. Field, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Francesco Visini, Bruno PaceHolocene rupture history of the central Teton fault at Leigh Lake; Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming
Prominent scarps on Pinedale glacial surfaces along the eastern base of the Teton Range confirm latest Pleistocene to Holocene surface‐faulting earthquakes on the Teton fault, but the timing of these events is only broadly constrained by a single previous paleoseismic study. We excavated two trenches at the Leigh Lake site near the center of the Teton fault to address open questions about earthquaAuthorsMark Zellman, Christopher DuRoss, Glenn R. Thackray, Stephen Personius, Nadine G. Reitman, Shannon A. Mahan, Cooper BrossyVariable normal-fault rupture behavior, northern Lost River fault zone, Idaho, USA
The 1983 Mw 6.9 Borah Peak earthquake generated ∼36 km of surface rupture along the Thousand Springs and Warm Springs sections of the Lost River fault zone (LRFZ, Idaho, USA). Although the rupture is a well-studied example of multisegment surface faulting, ambiguity remains regarding the degree to which a bedrock ridge and branch fault at the Willow Creek Hills influenced rupture progress. To explAuthorsChristopher DuRoss, Michael P. Bunds, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Nadine G. Reitman, Stephen Personius, Nathan A. TokéThe effect of stress changes on time-dependent earthquake probabilities for the central Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah, USA
Static and quasi-static Coulomb stress changes produced by large earthquakes can modify the probability of occurrence of subsequent events on neighboring faults. This approach is based on physical (Coulomb stress changes) and statistical (probability calculations) models, which are influenced by the quality and quantity of data available in the study region. Here, we focus on the Wasatch Fault ZonAuthorsA. Verdecchia, S. Carena, B. Pace, Christopher DuRossPreliminary report on engineering and geological effects of the July 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence
The Ridgecrest Earthquake sequence included a foreshock event on July 4 2019 (M6.4) and a M7.1 mainshock event on July 5 2019. These events occurred in the Eastern California Shear Zone, near Indian Wells Valley, south of China Lake and west of Searles Valley. GEER has partnered with several organizations to collect perishable data and document the important impacts of these events, including theAuthorsScott J Brandenberg, Pengfei Wang, Chukwuebuka C Nweke, Kenneth Hudson, Silvia Mazzoni, Yousef Bozorgnia, Kenneth W. Hudnut, Craig A. Davis, Sean K Ahdi, Farzin Zareian, Jawad Fayaz, Richard D Koehler, Colin Chupik, Ian Pierce, Alana Williams, Sinan Akciz, Martin B Hudson, Tadahiro Kishida, Benjamin A. Brooks, Ryan D. Gold, Daniel J. Ponti, Katherine Scharer, Devin McPhillips, Christopher DuRoss, Todd Ericksen, Janis Hernandez, Jay Patton, Brian Olson, Timothy E. Dawson, Jerome Treiman, Kelly Blake, Jeffrey Buchhuber, Chris L M Madugo, Joseph Sun, Andrea Donnellan, Greg Lyzenga, Erik Conway - News