Gavin P Hayes
I am a seismologist and program coordinator with the USGS, based in in Golden, CO. I oversee the activities of the Earthquake Hazards, Geomagnetism, and Global Seismographic Network (GSN) Programs within the Natural Hazards Mission Area.
Gavin Hayes is the Senior Science Advisor for Earthquake and Geologic Hazards at USGS. In this position, he oversees the Earthquake Hazards, Geomagnetism, and Global Seismographic Network (GSN) Programs. Hayes joined the USGS in 2007, after receiving a doctoral degree in geosciences from Pennsylvania State University, and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from the University of Leeds in England. He was a post-doctoral scholar with the USGS National Earthquake Information Center before being hired permanently in 2012, and was a Research Geophysicist with that group from 2012-2020.
As part of the NEIC, Hayes helped to lead the USGS real time response to domestic and global earthquakes, rapidly characterizing the source properties of earthquakes, and interpreting events within their regional tectonic context. Hayes has over 80 publications in the areas of seismology, tectonics, geodesy and natural hazards, and in the applications of these subjects to earthquake safety, hazard and risk mitigation.
Education and Certifications
Gavin Hayes (Ph.D., Penn State, 2007)
Science and Products
Incorporating teleseismic tomography data into models of upper mantle slab geometry
Slab2, a comprehensive subduction zone geometry model
Systematic observations of the slip pulse properties of large earthquake ruptures
2017 Valparaíso earthquake sequence and the megathrust patchwork of central Chile
Integrated geophysical characteristics of the 2015 Illapel, Chile, earthquake
Alternative rupture-scaling relationships for subduction interface and other offshore environments
The finite, kinematic rupture properties of great-sized earthquakes since 1990
The 2008 Wells, Nevada earthquake sequence: Source constraints using calibrated multiple event relocation and InSAR
Oklahoma experiences largest earthquake during ongoing regional wastewater injection hazard mitigation efforts
Tectonic summaries of magnitude 7 and greater earthquakes from 2000 to 2015
Introduction to the special issue on the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha(Nepal) earthquake
A study of the 2015 Mw 8.3 Illapel earthquake and tsunami: Numerical and analytical approaches
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Filter Total Items: 68
Incorporating teleseismic tomography data into models of upper mantle slab geometry
Earthquake-based models of slab geometry are limited by the distribution of earthquakes within a subducting slab, which is often heterogeneous. The fast seismic velocity signature of slabs in tomography studies is independent of the distribution of earthquakes within the slab, providing a critical constraint on slab geometry when earthquakes are absent. In order to utilize this constraint, researcAuthorsDaniel E. Portner, Gavin P. HayesSlab2, a comprehensive subduction zone geometry model
Subduction zones are home to the most seismically active faults on the planet. The shallow megathrust interfaces of subduction zones host our largest earthquakes and are likely the only faults capable of magnitude 9+ ruptures. Despite these facts, our knowledge of subduction zone geometry—which likely plays a key role in determining the spatial extent and ultimately the size of subduction zone earAuthorsGavin P. Hayes, Ginevra Moore, Daniel E. Portner, Mike Hearne, Hanna E. Flamme, Maria Furtney, Gregory M. SmoczykSystematic observations of the slip pulse properties of large earthquake ruptures
In earthquake dynamics there are two end member models of rupture: propagating cracks and self-healing pulses. These arise due to different properties of faults and have implications for seismic hazard; rupture mode controls near-field strong ground motions. Past studies favor the pulse-like mode of rupture; however, due to a variety of limitations, it has proven difficult to systematically establAuthorsDiego Melgar, Gavin P. Hayes2017 Valparaíso earthquake sequence and the megathrust patchwork of central Chile
In April 2017, a sequence of earthquakes offshore Valparaíso, Chile, raised concerns of a potential megathrust earthquake in the near future. The largest event in the 2017 sequence was a M6.9 on 24 April, seemingly colocated with the last great-sized earthquake in the region—a M8.0 in March 1985. The history of large earthquakes in this region shows significant variation in rupture size and extentAuthorsJennifer Nealy, Matthew W. Herman, Ginevra Moore, Gavin P. Hayes, Harley M. Benz, Eric A. Bergman, Sergio E BarrientosIntegrated geophysical characteristics of the 2015 Illapel, Chile, earthquake
On 16 September 2015, a Mw 8.3 earthquake ruptured the subduction zone offshore of Illapel, Chile, generating an aftershock sequence with 14 Mw 6.0–7.0 events. A double source W phase moment tensor inversion consists of a Mw 7.2 subevent and the main Mw 8.2 phase. We determine two slip models for the mainshock, one using teleseismic broadband waveforms and the other using static GPS and InSAR surfAuthorsMatthew W. Herman, Jennifer Nealy, William L. Yeck, William D. Barnhart, Gavin P. Hayes, Kevin P. Furlong, Harley M. BenzAlternative rupture-scaling relationships for subduction interface and other offshore environments
Alternative fault-rupture-scaling relationships are developed for Mw 7.1– 9.5 subduction interface earthquakes using a new database of consistently derived finitefault rupture models from teleseismic inversion. Scaling relationships are derived for rupture area, rupture length, rupture width, maximum slip, and average slip. These relationships apply width saturation for large-magnitude interface eAuthorsTrevor Allen, Gavin P. HayesThe finite, kinematic rupture properties of great-sized earthquakes since 1990
Here, I present a database of >160 finite fault models for all earthquakes of M 7.5 and above since 1990, created using a consistent modeling approach. The use of a common approach facilitates easier comparisons between models, and reduces uncertainties that arise when comparing models generated by different authors, data sets and modeling techniques.I use this database to verify published scalingAuthorsGavin P. HayesThe 2008 Wells, Nevada earthquake sequence: Source constraints using calibrated multiple event relocation and InSAR
The 2008 Wells, NV earthquake represents the largest domestic event in the conterminous U.S. outside of California since the October 1983 Borah Peak earthquake in southern Idaho. We present an improved catalog, magnitude complete to 1.6, of the foreshock-aftershock sequence, supplementing the current U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Preliminary Determination of Epicenters (PDE) catalog with 1,928 welAuthorsJennifer Nealy, Harley M. Benz, Gavin P. Hayes, Eric Berman, William D. BarnhartOklahoma experiences largest earthquake during ongoing regional wastewater injection hazard mitigation efforts
The 3 September 2016, Mw 5.8 Pawnee earthquake was the largest recorded earthquake in the state of Oklahoma. Seismic and geodetic observations of the Pawnee sequence, including precise hypocenter locations and moment tensor modeling, shows that the Pawnee earthquake occurred on a previously unknown left-lateral strike-slip basement fault that intersects the mapped right-lateral Labette fault zone.AuthorsWilliam L. Yeck, Gavin P. Hayes, Daniel E. McNamara, Justin L. Rubinstein, William D. Barnhart, Paul S. Earle, Harley M. BenzTectonic summaries of magnitude 7 and greater earthquakes from 2000 to 2015
This paper describes the tectonic summaries for all magnitude 7 and larger earthquakes in the period 2000–2015, as produced by the U.S. Geological Survey National Earthquake Information Center during their routine response operations to global earthquakes. The goal of such summaries is to provide important event-specific information to the public rapidly and concisely, such that recent earthquakesAuthorsGavin P. Hayes, Emma K. Meyers, James W. Dewey, Richard W. Briggs, Paul S. Earle, Harley M. Benz, Gregory M. Smoczyk, Hanna E. Flamme, William D. Barnhart, Ryan D. Gold, Kevin P. FurlongIntroduction to the special issue on the 25 April 2015 Mw 7.8 Gorkha(Nepal) earthquake
On April 25, 2015, a moment magnitude (Mw) 7.8 earthquake struck central Nepal, breaking a section of the broader Himalayan Front that had been largely quiescent in moderate-to-large earthquakes for much of the modern seismological era. Ground shaking associated with the event resulted in a broad distribution of triggered avalanches and landslides. The ensuing aftershock sequence was punctuated byAuthorsGavin P. Hayes, Richard W. BriggsA study of the 2015 Mw 8.3 Illapel earthquake and tsunami: Numerical and analytical approaches
The September 16, 2015 Illapel, Chile earthquake triggered a large tsunami, causing both economic losses and fatalities. To study the coastal effects of this earthquake, and to understand how such hazards might be accurately modeled in the future, different finite fault models of the Illapel rupture are used to define the initial condition for tsunami simulation. The numerical code Non-hydrostaticAuthorsMauricio Fuentes, Sebastian Riquelme, Gavin P. Hayes, Miguel Medina, Diego Melgar, Gabriel Vargas, Jose Gonzalez, Angelo Villalobos - Software
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