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Eric Bilderback, Ph.D.

Eric Bilderback manages landslide hazard and earthquake geology research groups in the Geologic Hazards Science Center.

Eric’s professional interests involve many aspects of active geologic process and geomorphology. He has worked extensively on geologic hazards issues like landslides, rockfall and active tectonics in roles for Federal and State Government and academically. Eric’s background is in applied geomorphology with a goal of pursuing research at the interface between understanding geologic process and risk assessment/reduction.

Professional Experience

  • Supervisory Geologist – U.S. Geological Survey Geologic Hazards Science Center (2023-present)

  • Geomorphologist – National Park Service Geologic Resources Division (2012-2023)

  • Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant (Active Tectonics and Geomorphology) – University of Canterbury, New Zealand (2008-2012)

  • Transportation Engineer – Washington State Department of Transportation Geotechnical Division (2006-2008)

  • Natural Resource Scientist – Washington State Department of Natural Resources Division of Geology and Earth Resources (2003-2006)

  • Graduate Teaching Assistant – Western Washington University (1999-2002)

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D., Geology – University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand

  • M.S., Geology – Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA

  • B.A., Geology – The Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO

  • Licensed Geologist in Washington State – License Number: 2627

Science and Products

Non-USGS Publications**

O’Shea, T., Farmer, S., Nandi, A., Bilderback, E.L., Luffman, I., and Joyner, A., 2023, Using an inventory of unstable slopes to prioritize probabilistic rockfall modeling and acid base accounting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, v. 29, no. 2, p. 73–91, doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/EEG-D-22-00063.
Bloom, C.K., MacInnes, B., Higman, B., Shugar, D.H., Venditti, J.G., Richmond, B., and Bilderback, E.L., 2020, Catastrophic landscape modification from a massive landslide tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska: Geomorphology, v. 353, March, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.107029.
Rathburn, S.L., Patton, A.I., and Bilderback, E.L., 2019, Historical debris-flow occurrence in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA: Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, special publication 28, p.816-823.
Beckstrand, D.L., Stanley, D.A., Thompson, P.D., Bilderback E.L., Wittie, M., Kanewala, U., Cuelho, E., and Anderson, D.A., 2019, Unstable slope management program for federal land management agencies: Federal Highway Administration, Report No. FHWA-FLH-19-002, 173 pages.
Patton, A.I., Rathburn, S.L., Bilderback, E.L., and Lukens, C.E., 2018, Patterns of debris flow initiation and periglacial sediment sourcing in the Colorado Front Range: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, v. 43. no. 15, p. 2998-3008, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4463.
Poluga, S.L., Shakoor, A., and Bilderback, E.L., 2018, Rock mass characterization and stability evaluation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota: Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, v. 24, no. 4, p. 385-412, doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/eeg-2042.
Higman, B., Shugar, D.H., Stark, C.P., Ekström, G., Koppes, M.N., Lynett, P., Dufresne, A., Haeussler, P.J., Geertsema, M., Gulick, S., Mattox, A., Venditti, J.G., Walton, M.A.L., McCall, N., Mckittrick, E., MacInnes, B., Bilderback, E.L., Tang, H., Willis, M.J., Richmond, B., Reece, R.S., Larsen, C., Olson, B., Capra, J., Ayca, A., Bloom, C., Williams, H., Bonno, D., Weiss, R., Keen, A., Skanavis, V., and Loso, M., 2018, The 2015 landslide and tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska: Scientific reports, v. 8, no. 12993, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30475-w.
Capps, D.M., Rosenberg, R., Collins, A., Hooper, S., Rogers, H., Anderson, D.A., and Bilderback, E.L., 2017, Geohazards risk assessment of the Denali National Park road: Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, special publication 27, p.840-850.
Kuehl, S.A., Alexander, C.R., Blair, N.E., Harris, C.K., Marsaglia, K.M., Ogston, A.S., Orpin, A.R., Roering, J.J., Bever, A., Bilderback, E.L., Carter, L., Cerovski-Darriau, C., Childress, L. B., Corbett, D.R., Hale, R., Leithold, E.L., Litchfield, N., Moriarty, J.M., Page, M.J., Pierce, L.E.R., Upton, P., and Walsh, J.P., 2016, A source-to-sink perspective of the Waipaoa River margin: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 153, February, p. 301-334, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.10.001.
Bilderback, E.L., Pettinga, J.R., Litchfield, N.J., Quigley, M., Marden, M., Roering, J.J., and Palmer, A.S., 2015, Hillslope response to climate-modulated river incision in the Waipaoa catchment, East Coast North Island, New Zealand: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 127, no. 1-2, p. 131-148, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/b31015.1.
Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Quigley, M.C., Nobes, D.C., and Massey, C.I., 2014, Coseismic landsliding during the Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake: Implications for paleoseismic studies of landslides: Geomorphology, v. 214, June, p. 114-127, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.03.020.
Marden, M., Betts, H., Palmer, A., Taylor, R., Bilderback, E.L, and Litchfield, N., 2014, Post-Last Glacial Maximum fluvial incision and sediment generation in the unglaciated Waipaoa catchment, North Island, New Zealand: Geomorphology, v. 214, June, p. 283-306. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.02.012.
Cerovski‐Darriau, C., Roering, J.J., Marden, M., Palmer, A.S., and Bilderback, E.L., 2014, Quantifying temporal variations in landslide‐driven sediment production by reconstructing paleolandscapes using tephrochronology and lidar: Waipaoa River, New Zealand: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 15, no. 11, p. 4117-4136, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2014gc005467.
Duffy, B., Quigley, M., Barrell, D.J., Van Dissen, R., Stahl, T., Leprince, S., McInnes, C., and Bilderback, E.L., 2013, Fault kinematics and surface deformation across a releasing bend during the 2010 Mw 7.1 Darfield, New Zealand, earthquake revealed by differential LiDAR and cadastral surveying: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 125, no. 3-4, p. 420-43, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/b30753.1.
Villamor, P., Litchfield, N., Barrell, D., Van Dissen, R., Hornblow, S., Quigley, M., Levick, S., Ries, W., Duffy, B., Begg, J., Townsend, D., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Nobel, D., Furlong, K., and Grant, H., 2012, Map of the 2010 Greendale Fault surface rupture, Canterbury, New Zealand: application to land use planning: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, v. 55, no. 3, p. 223-230, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2012.680473.
Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R., Litchfield, N., Villamor, P., Duffy, B., Barrell, D., Furlong, K., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., and Noble, D., 2012, Surface rupture during the 2010 Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake: implications for fault rupture dynamics and seismic-hazard analysis: Geology, v. 40, no. 1, p. 55-58, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/g32528.1.
Barrell, D.J.A., Litchfield, N.J., Townsend, D.B., Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R.J., Cosgrove, R., Cox, S.C., Furlong, K., Villamor, P., Begg, J. G., Hemmings-Sykes, S., Jongens, R, Mackenzie, H., Nobel, D., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Duffy, B., Henham, H., Klahn, A., Lang, E.M.W., Moody, L., Nicol, R., Pedley, K., and Smith, A., 2011, Strike-slip ground-surface rupture (Greendale Fault) associated with the 4 September 2010 Darfield earthquake, Canterbury, New Zealand: Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrology, v. 44, August, p. 283-291, doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/1470-9236/11-034.
Van Dissen, R., Barrell, D., Litchfield, N., Villamor, P., Quigley, M., King, A., Furlong, K., Begg, J., Townsend, D., Mackenzie, H., Stahl, T., Noble, D., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Claridge, J., Klahn, A., Jongens, R., Cox, S., Langridge, R., Ries, W., Dhakal, R., Smith, A., Hornblow, S., Nicol, R., Pedley, K., Henham, H., Hunter, R., Zajac, A., and Mote, T., 2011, Surface rupture displacement on the Greendale Fault during the Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake, New Zealand, and its impact on man-made structures: Proceedings of the Ninth Pacific Conference on Earthquake Engineering: Building an Earthquake-Resilient Society, Auckland, New Zealand, Paper 186.
Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R., Villamor, P., Litchfield, N., Barrell, D., Furlong, K., Stahl, T., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Noble, D., Townsend, D., Begg, J., Jongens, R., Ries, W., Claridge, J., Klahn, A., Mackenzie, H., Smith, A., Hornblow, S., Nicol, R., Cox, S., Langridge, R., and Pedley, K., 2010, Surface rupture of the Greendale Fault during the Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake, New Zealand: Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, v. 43, no. 4, 236–242, doi: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.43.4.236-242.
Quigley, M., Villamor, P., Furlong, K., Beavan, J., Van Dissen, R., Litchfield, N., Stahl, T., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Noble, D., Barrell, D., Jongens, R., and Cox, S., 2010, Previously Unknown Fault Shakes New Zealand’s South Island: Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 91, no. 49, p. 469-471, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2010eo490001.
Bilderback, E.L., Palmer, S.P., Folger, D.S., Poelstra, J.L., Magsino, S.L, and Niggemann, R.A., 2008, Shear-wave database for Quaternary and bedrock geologic units, Washington State. Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Open File Report 2008-2, 528 p.
Bilderback, E.L., and Brunengo, M.J., 2007, Landslide hazard zonation project -- Mass wasting assessment -- Skamokawa, Wahkiakum County, Washington. Washington Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices, 1 v., 67 p., 2 plates, scale 1:24,000.
Bilderback, E.L., and Brunengo, M.J., 2006, Landslide hazard zonation project -- Mass wasting assessment -- Kalaloch Ridge, Jefferson County, Washington. Washington Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices, 1 v., 60 p., 2 plates, scale 1:24,000.
Palmer, S.P., Magsino, S.L., Bilderback, E.L., Poelstra, J.L., Folger, D.S., Niggemann, R.A., 2004, Liquefaction susceptibility and site class maps of Washington State, by county: Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Open File Report 2004-20, 45 p.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

link
Map of the Hurricane Helene landslide hazard estimates with the highest hazard being around the mountains.

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Hurricane Helene
link

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
Learn More

Science and Products

Non-USGS Publications**

O’Shea, T., Farmer, S., Nandi, A., Bilderback, E.L., Luffman, I., and Joyner, A., 2023, Using an inventory of unstable slopes to prioritize probabilistic rockfall modeling and acid base accounting in Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, v. 29, no. 2, p. 73–91, doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/EEG-D-22-00063.
Bloom, C.K., MacInnes, B., Higman, B., Shugar, D.H., Venditti, J.G., Richmond, B., and Bilderback, E.L., 2020, Catastrophic landscape modification from a massive landslide tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska: Geomorphology, v. 353, March, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2019.107029.
Rathburn, S.L., Patton, A.I., and Bilderback, E.L., 2019, Historical debris-flow occurrence in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA: Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, special publication 28, p.816-823.
Beckstrand, D.L., Stanley, D.A., Thompson, P.D., Bilderback E.L., Wittie, M., Kanewala, U., Cuelho, E., and Anderson, D.A., 2019, Unstable slope management program for federal land management agencies: Federal Highway Administration, Report No. FHWA-FLH-19-002, 173 pages.
Patton, A.I., Rathburn, S.L., Bilderback, E.L., and Lukens, C.E., 2018, Patterns of debris flow initiation and periglacial sediment sourcing in the Colorado Front Range: Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, v. 43. no. 15, p. 2998-3008, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4463.
Poluga, S.L., Shakoor, A., and Bilderback, E.L., 2018, Rock mass characterization and stability evaluation of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota: Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, v. 24, no. 4, p. 385-412, doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/eeg-2042.
Higman, B., Shugar, D.H., Stark, C.P., Ekström, G., Koppes, M.N., Lynett, P., Dufresne, A., Haeussler, P.J., Geertsema, M., Gulick, S., Mattox, A., Venditti, J.G., Walton, M.A.L., McCall, N., Mckittrick, E., MacInnes, B., Bilderback, E.L., Tang, H., Willis, M.J., Richmond, B., Reece, R.S., Larsen, C., Olson, B., Capra, J., Ayca, A., Bloom, C., Williams, H., Bonno, D., Weiss, R., Keen, A., Skanavis, V., and Loso, M., 2018, The 2015 landslide and tsunami in Taan Fiord, Alaska: Scientific reports, v. 8, no. 12993, doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-30475-w.
Capps, D.M., Rosenberg, R., Collins, A., Hooper, S., Rogers, H., Anderson, D.A., and Bilderback, E.L., 2017, Geohazards risk assessment of the Denali National Park road: Association of Environmental and Engineering Geologists, special publication 27, p.840-850.
Kuehl, S.A., Alexander, C.R., Blair, N.E., Harris, C.K., Marsaglia, K.M., Ogston, A.S., Orpin, A.R., Roering, J.J., Bever, A., Bilderback, E.L., Carter, L., Cerovski-Darriau, C., Childress, L. B., Corbett, D.R., Hale, R., Leithold, E.L., Litchfield, N., Moriarty, J.M., Page, M.J., Pierce, L.E.R., Upton, P., and Walsh, J.P., 2016, A source-to-sink perspective of the Waipaoa River margin: Earth-Science Reviews, v. 153, February, p. 301-334, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2015.10.001.
Bilderback, E.L., Pettinga, J.R., Litchfield, N.J., Quigley, M., Marden, M., Roering, J.J., and Palmer, A.S., 2015, Hillslope response to climate-modulated river incision in the Waipaoa catchment, East Coast North Island, New Zealand: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 127, no. 1-2, p. 131-148, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/b31015.1.
Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Quigley, M.C., Nobes, D.C., and Massey, C.I., 2014, Coseismic landsliding during the Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake: Implications for paleoseismic studies of landslides: Geomorphology, v. 214, June, p. 114-127, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.03.020.
Marden, M., Betts, H., Palmer, A., Taylor, R., Bilderback, E.L, and Litchfield, N., 2014, Post-Last Glacial Maximum fluvial incision and sediment generation in the unglaciated Waipaoa catchment, North Island, New Zealand: Geomorphology, v. 214, June, p. 283-306. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.02.012.
Cerovski‐Darriau, C., Roering, J.J., Marden, M., Palmer, A.S., and Bilderback, E.L., 2014, Quantifying temporal variations in landslide‐driven sediment production by reconstructing paleolandscapes using tephrochronology and lidar: Waipaoa River, New Zealand: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, v. 15, no. 11, p. 4117-4136, doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/2014gc005467.
Duffy, B., Quigley, M., Barrell, D.J., Van Dissen, R., Stahl, T., Leprince, S., McInnes, C., and Bilderback, E.L., 2013, Fault kinematics and surface deformation across a releasing bend during the 2010 Mw 7.1 Darfield, New Zealand, earthquake revealed by differential LiDAR and cadastral surveying: Bulletin of the Geological Society of America, v. 125, no. 3-4, p. 420-43, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/b30753.1.
Villamor, P., Litchfield, N., Barrell, D., Van Dissen, R., Hornblow, S., Quigley, M., Levick, S., Ries, W., Duffy, B., Begg, J., Townsend, D., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Nobel, D., Furlong, K., and Grant, H., 2012, Map of the 2010 Greendale Fault surface rupture, Canterbury, New Zealand: application to land use planning: New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, v. 55, no. 3, p. 223-230, doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2012.680473.
Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R., Litchfield, N., Villamor, P., Duffy, B., Barrell, D., Furlong, K., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., and Noble, D., 2012, Surface rupture during the 2010 Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake: implications for fault rupture dynamics and seismic-hazard analysis: Geology, v. 40, no. 1, p. 55-58, doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/g32528.1.
Barrell, D.J.A., Litchfield, N.J., Townsend, D.B., Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R.J., Cosgrove, R., Cox, S.C., Furlong, K., Villamor, P., Begg, J. G., Hemmings-Sykes, S., Jongens, R, Mackenzie, H., Nobel, D., Stahl, T., Bilderback, E.L., Duffy, B., Henham, H., Klahn, A., Lang, E.M.W., Moody, L., Nicol, R., Pedley, K., and Smith, A., 2011, Strike-slip ground-surface rupture (Greendale Fault) associated with the 4 September 2010 Darfield earthquake, Canterbury, New Zealand: Quarterly Journal of Engineering Geology and Hydrology, v. 44, August, p. 283-291, doi: https://doi.org/10.1144/1470-9236/11-034.
Van Dissen, R., Barrell, D., Litchfield, N., Villamor, P., Quigley, M., King, A., Furlong, K., Begg, J., Townsend, D., Mackenzie, H., Stahl, T., Noble, D., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Claridge, J., Klahn, A., Jongens, R., Cox, S., Langridge, R., Ries, W., Dhakal, R., Smith, A., Hornblow, S., Nicol, R., Pedley, K., Henham, H., Hunter, R., Zajac, A., and Mote, T., 2011, Surface rupture displacement on the Greendale Fault during the Mw 7.1 Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake, New Zealand, and its impact on man-made structures: Proceedings of the Ninth Pacific Conference on Earthquake Engineering: Building an Earthquake-Resilient Society, Auckland, New Zealand, Paper 186.
Quigley, M., Van Dissen, R., Villamor, P., Litchfield, N., Barrell, D., Furlong, K., Stahl, T., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Noble, D., Townsend, D., Begg, J., Jongens, R., Ries, W., Claridge, J., Klahn, A., Mackenzie, H., Smith, A., Hornblow, S., Nicol, R., Cox, S., Langridge, R., and Pedley, K., 2010, Surface rupture of the Greendale Fault during the Darfield (Canterbury) earthquake, New Zealand: Bulletin of the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering, v. 43, no. 4, 236–242, doi: https://doi.org/10.5459/bnzsee.43.4.236-242.
Quigley, M., Villamor, P., Furlong, K., Beavan, J., Van Dissen, R., Litchfield, N., Stahl, T., Duffy, B., Bilderback, E.L., Noble, D., Barrell, D., Jongens, R., and Cox, S., 2010, Previously Unknown Fault Shakes New Zealand’s South Island: Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, v. 91, no. 49, p. 469-471, doi: https://doi.org/10.1029/2010eo490001.
Bilderback, E.L., Palmer, S.P., Folger, D.S., Poelstra, J.L., Magsino, S.L, and Niggemann, R.A., 2008, Shear-wave database for Quaternary and bedrock geologic units, Washington State. Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Open File Report 2008-2, 528 p.
Bilderback, E.L., and Brunengo, M.J., 2007, Landslide hazard zonation project -- Mass wasting assessment -- Skamokawa, Wahkiakum County, Washington. Washington Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices, 1 v., 67 p., 2 plates, scale 1:24,000.
Bilderback, E.L., and Brunengo, M.J., 2006, Landslide hazard zonation project -- Mass wasting assessment -- Kalaloch Ridge, Jefferson County, Washington. Washington Department of Natural Resources, Forest Practices, 1 v., 60 p., 2 plates, scale 1:24,000.
Palmer, S.P., Magsino, S.L., Bilderback, E.L., Poelstra, J.L., Folger, D.S., Niggemann, R.A., 2004, Liquefaction susceptibility and site class maps of Washington State, by county: Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources Open File Report 2004-20, 45 p.

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

link
Map of the Hurricane Helene landslide hazard estimates with the highest hazard being around the mountains.

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
By
Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Florence Bascom Geoscience Center, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Hurricane Helene
link

2024 Hurricane Helene Landslide Hazards

Hurricane Helene produced widespread and damaging landslides. The USGS is mapping landslides to support our partners. This page provides information about the extent and severity of landslide impacts. Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm on Thursday, September 26th, 2024. The hurricane continued across the southern Appalachian Mountains producing record rainfall. This...
Learn More
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