Kate E Allstadt, Ph.D.
Kate Allstadt joined the team at the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center in Golden, CO in June 2015.
Kate uses multidisciplinary applications of seismic and geophysical techniques to study landslide, earthquake, and volcano hazards. She currently focuses on earthquake-triggered ground failure, near-real-time earthquake impacts, seismic monitoring of debris flows and lahars, and studies of massive rapid landslides using seismic methods and numerical modeling.
Kate cofounded the ongoing GeoGirls at Mount St. Helens field camp designed to keep middle school girls interested in science through hands-on field experiences and interactions with strong science role models.
Research Interests
Multidisciplinary Applications of Seismology, Hazard and Disaster mitigation, Seismically Induced Landslides, Landslide Seismology, Earthquake and Volcano monitoring, Real-time products, Engineering seismology and Site Effects
Professional Experience
2015 – present: Research Geophysicist, USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center, Golden CO
2014 – 2015: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory: Toward early detection and tracking of mass movements at volcanoes using seismic methods.
2013 – 2014: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Washington: M9 Cascadia megaquakes: reducing risk through science, engineering, and planning.
2009 – 2013: Duty Seismologist for Pacific Northwest Seismic Network and Research Assistant & Teaching Assistant, University of Washington
Education and Certifications
2009 – 2013: University of Washington, PhD, Seismology/Geophysics
2008 – 2009: Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France and ROSE School, Pavia, Italy, M.S., Engineering Seismology
2003 - 2008: Northeastern University, B.S., Environmental Geology
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 26
landslides-metadata landslides-metadata
Automate production of metadata following the USGS geospatial metadata format.
Map data and Unmanned Aircraft System imagery from the May 25, 2014 West Salt Creek rock avalanche in western Colorado Map data and Unmanned Aircraft System imagery from the May 25, 2014 West Salt Creek rock avalanche in western Colorado
On May 25, 2014, a rain-on-snow induced rock avalanche occurred in the West Salt Creek Valley on the northern flank of Grand Mesa in western Colorado. The avalanche traveled 4.6 km down the confined valley, killing 3 people. The avalanche was rare for the contiguous U.S. because of its large size (54.5 Mm3) and long travel distance. To understand the avalanche failure sequence...
Filter Total Items: 53
Ground failure triggered by shaking during the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake Ground failure triggered by shaking during the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake
We developed an initial inventory of ground failure features from the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage earthquake. This inventory of 153 features is from ground-based observations soon after the earthquake (December 5–10) that include the presence or absence of liquefaction, landslides, and individual crack traces of lateral spreads and incipient landslides. This is not a...
Authors
Alex R. Grant, Randall W. Jibson, Robert C. Witter, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Adrian M. Bender
Observations on the May 2019 Joffre Peak landslides, British Columbia Observations on the May 2019 Joffre Peak landslides, British Columbia
Two catastrophic landslides occurred in quick succession on 13 and 16 May 2019, from the north face of Joffre Peak, Cerise Creek, southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia. With headscarps at 2560 m and 2690 m elevation, both began as rock avalanches, rapidly transforming into debris flows along middle Cerise Creek, and finally into debris floods affecting the fan. Beyond the fan margin...
Authors
Pierre Friele, Tom Millard, Andrew Mitchell, Kate E. Allstadt, Brian Menounos, Marten Geertsema, John J. Clague
An update of USGS bear-real-time earthquake shaking and impact products An update of USGS bear-real-time earthquake shaking and impact products
We report on advancements in both hazard and consequence modeling that form the core of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) strategy to improve rapid earthquake shaking and loss estimates. Whereas our primary goal is to improve our operational capabilities of the USGS National Earthquake Information Center, the science, software, and datasets behind these systems continue to advance uses...
Authors
David J. Wald, Kishor S. Jaiswal, Kristin Marano, Mike Hearne, Kuo-wan Lin, Daniel Slosky, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Charles Worden, Gavin P. Hayes, Vince Quitoriano
Overcoming barriers to progress in seismic monitoring and characterization of debris flows and lahars Overcoming barriers to progress in seismic monitoring and characterization of debris flows and lahars
Debris flows generate seismic signals that contain valuable information about events as they unfold. Though seismic waves have been used for along-channel debris-flow and lahar monitoring systems for decades, it has proven difficult to move beyond detection to more quantitative characterizations of flow parameters and event size. This is for two primary reasons: (1) our limited...
Authors
Kate E. Allstadt, Maxime Farin, Andrew Lockhart, Sara K. McBride, Jason W. Kean, Richard M. Iverson, Matthew Logan, Joel B. Smith, Victor C. Tsai, David L. George
USGS near-real-time products-and their use-for the 2018 Anchorage earthquake USGS near-real-time products-and their use-for the 2018 Anchorage earthquake
In the minutes to hours after a major earthquake, such as the recent 2018 Mw 7.1 Anchorage event, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produces a suite of interconnected earthquake products that provides diverse information ranging from basic earthquake source parameters to loss estimates. The 2018 Anchorage earthquake is the first major domestic earthquake to occur since several new USGS...
Authors
Eric M. Thompson, Sara K. McBride, Gavin P. Hayes, Kate E. Allstadt, Lisa Wald, David J. Wald, Keith L. Knudsen, Charles Worden, Kristin Marano, Randall W. Jibson, Alex R. Grant
Ground failure from the Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake of 30 November 2018 Ground failure from the Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake of 30 November 2018
Investigation of ground failure triggered by the 2018 MwMw 7.1 Anchorage earthquake showed that landslides, liquefaction, and ground cracking all occurred and caused significant damage. Shallow rock falls and rock slides were the most abundant types of landslides, but they occurred in smaller numbers than global models that are based on earthquake magnitude predict; this might result...
Authors
Randall W. Jibson, Alex R. Grant, Robert C. Witter, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Adrian Bender
Non-USGS Publications**
Coe, J.A., Baum, R. L., Allstadt, K.E., Kochevar, B.F., Schmitt, R.G., Morgan, M.L., White, J.L., Stratton, B.T., Hayashi, T.A., Kean, J.W., 2016, Rock-avalanche dynamics revealed by large-scale field mapping and seismic signals at a highly mobile avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, western Colorado, Geosphere, 12, 25p., doi:10.1130/GES01265.1
Allstadt, K. E., Shean, D. E., Campbell, A., Fahnestock, M., and Malone, S. D., 2015, Observations of seasonal and diurnal glacier velocities at Mount Rainier, Washington, using terrestrial radar interferometry, The Cryosphere, 9, 2219-2235, doi:10.5194/tc-9-2219-2015.
Moretti, L, Allstadt, K., Mangeney, A., Capdeville, Y., Stutzmann, E. and Bouchut, F., 2015, Numerical modeling of the Mount Meager landslide constrained by its force history derived from seismic data, J. Geophs. Res., 120, 2578-2599, doi: 10.1002/2014JB011426
Allstadt, K., and Malone, S.M., 2014, Swarms of repeating stick-slip icequakes triggered by snow loading at Mount Rainier volcano, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf. 119, doi: 10.1002/2014JF003086
Allstadt, K., 2013, Surficial Seismology: Landslides, Glaciers and Volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest through a Seismic Lens, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washington.
Allstadt, K., Vidale, J.E., and Frankel, A., 2013, A scenario study of seismically induced landsliding in Seattle using broadband synthetic seismograms, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 103(6), 2971-2992.
Allstadt, K., 2013, Extracting Source Characteristics and Dynamics of the August 2010 Mount Meager Landslide from Broadband Seismograms, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surface, 118(3), 1472-1490.
Guthrie, R.H., Friele, P., Allstadt, K., Roberts, N., Evans, S.G., Delaney, K.B., Roche, D., Clague, J.J., and Jakob, M., 2012, The 6 August 2010 Mount Meager rock slide-debris flow, Coast Mountains, British Columbia: characteristics, dynamics, and implications for hazard and risk assessment: Nat.Haz. Earth. Syst. Sci., 12, 1277-1294.
Allstadt, K., 2009, Study of Site Effects in Landslides using Weak Ground Motion, Avignonet and Séchilienne Landslides, French Alps, M.S. Thesis, Université Joseph Fourier and ROSE School. 87p.
**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.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 26
landslides-metadata landslides-metadata
Automate production of metadata following the USGS geospatial metadata format.
Map data and Unmanned Aircraft System imagery from the May 25, 2014 West Salt Creek rock avalanche in western Colorado Map data and Unmanned Aircraft System imagery from the May 25, 2014 West Salt Creek rock avalanche in western Colorado
On May 25, 2014, a rain-on-snow induced rock avalanche occurred in the West Salt Creek Valley on the northern flank of Grand Mesa in western Colorado. The avalanche traveled 4.6 km down the confined valley, killing 3 people. The avalanche was rare for the contiguous U.S. because of its large size (54.5 Mm3) and long travel distance. To understand the avalanche failure sequence...
Filter Total Items: 53
Ground failure triggered by shaking during the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake Ground failure triggered by shaking during the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake
We developed an initial inventory of ground failure features from the November 30, 2018, magnitude 7.1 Anchorage earthquake. This inventory of 153 features is from ground-based observations soon after the earthquake (December 5–10) that include the presence or absence of liquefaction, landslides, and individual crack traces of lateral spreads and incipient landslides. This is not a...
Authors
Alex R. Grant, Randall W. Jibson, Robert C. Witter, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Adrian M. Bender
Observations on the May 2019 Joffre Peak landslides, British Columbia Observations on the May 2019 Joffre Peak landslides, British Columbia
Two catastrophic landslides occurred in quick succession on 13 and 16 May 2019, from the north face of Joffre Peak, Cerise Creek, southern Coast Mountains, British Columbia. With headscarps at 2560 m and 2690 m elevation, both began as rock avalanches, rapidly transforming into debris flows along middle Cerise Creek, and finally into debris floods affecting the fan. Beyond the fan margin...
Authors
Pierre Friele, Tom Millard, Andrew Mitchell, Kate E. Allstadt, Brian Menounos, Marten Geertsema, John J. Clague
An update of USGS bear-real-time earthquake shaking and impact products An update of USGS bear-real-time earthquake shaking and impact products
We report on advancements in both hazard and consequence modeling that form the core of the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) strategy to improve rapid earthquake shaking and loss estimates. Whereas our primary goal is to improve our operational capabilities of the USGS National Earthquake Information Center, the science, software, and datasets behind these systems continue to advance uses...
Authors
David J. Wald, Kishor S. Jaiswal, Kristin Marano, Mike Hearne, Kuo-wan Lin, Daniel Slosky, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Charles Worden, Gavin P. Hayes, Vince Quitoriano
Overcoming barriers to progress in seismic monitoring and characterization of debris flows and lahars Overcoming barriers to progress in seismic monitoring and characterization of debris flows and lahars
Debris flows generate seismic signals that contain valuable information about events as they unfold. Though seismic waves have been used for along-channel debris-flow and lahar monitoring systems for decades, it has proven difficult to move beyond detection to more quantitative characterizations of flow parameters and event size. This is for two primary reasons: (1) our limited...
Authors
Kate E. Allstadt, Maxime Farin, Andrew Lockhart, Sara K. McBride, Jason W. Kean, Richard M. Iverson, Matthew Logan, Joel B. Smith, Victor C. Tsai, David L. George
USGS near-real-time products-and their use-for the 2018 Anchorage earthquake USGS near-real-time products-and their use-for the 2018 Anchorage earthquake
In the minutes to hours after a major earthquake, such as the recent 2018 Mw 7.1 Anchorage event, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) produces a suite of interconnected earthquake products that provides diverse information ranging from basic earthquake source parameters to loss estimates. The 2018 Anchorage earthquake is the first major domestic earthquake to occur since several new USGS...
Authors
Eric M. Thompson, Sara K. McBride, Gavin P. Hayes, Kate E. Allstadt, Lisa Wald, David J. Wald, Keith L. Knudsen, Charles Worden, Kristin Marano, Randall W. Jibson, Alex R. Grant
Ground failure from the Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake of 30 November 2018 Ground failure from the Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake of 30 November 2018
Investigation of ground failure triggered by the 2018 MwMw 7.1 Anchorage earthquake showed that landslides, liquefaction, and ground cracking all occurred and caused significant damage. Shallow rock falls and rock slides were the most abundant types of landslides, but they occurred in smaller numbers than global models that are based on earthquake magnitude predict; this might result...
Authors
Randall W. Jibson, Alex R. Grant, Robert C. Witter, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Adrian Bender
Non-USGS Publications**
Coe, J.A., Baum, R. L., Allstadt, K.E., Kochevar, B.F., Schmitt, R.G., Morgan, M.L., White, J.L., Stratton, B.T., Hayashi, T.A., Kean, J.W., 2016, Rock-avalanche dynamics revealed by large-scale field mapping and seismic signals at a highly mobile avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, western Colorado, Geosphere, 12, 25p., doi:10.1130/GES01265.1
Allstadt, K. E., Shean, D. E., Campbell, A., Fahnestock, M., and Malone, S. D., 2015, Observations of seasonal and diurnal glacier velocities at Mount Rainier, Washington, using terrestrial radar interferometry, The Cryosphere, 9, 2219-2235, doi:10.5194/tc-9-2219-2015.
Moretti, L, Allstadt, K., Mangeney, A., Capdeville, Y., Stutzmann, E. and Bouchut, F., 2015, Numerical modeling of the Mount Meager landslide constrained by its force history derived from seismic data, J. Geophs. Res., 120, 2578-2599, doi: 10.1002/2014JB011426
Allstadt, K., and Malone, S.M., 2014, Swarms of repeating stick-slip icequakes triggered by snow loading at Mount Rainier volcano, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf. 119, doi: 10.1002/2014JF003086
Allstadt, K., 2013, Surficial Seismology: Landslides, Glaciers and Volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest through a Seismic Lens, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Washington.
Allstadt, K., Vidale, J.E., and Frankel, A., 2013, A scenario study of seismically induced landsliding in Seattle using broadband synthetic seismograms, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 103(6), 2971-2992.
Allstadt, K., 2013, Extracting Source Characteristics and Dynamics of the August 2010 Mount Meager Landslide from Broadband Seismograms, J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surface, 118(3), 1472-1490.
Guthrie, R.H., Friele, P., Allstadt, K., Roberts, N., Evans, S.G., Delaney, K.B., Roche, D., Clague, J.J., and Jakob, M., 2012, The 6 August 2010 Mount Meager rock slide-debris flow, Coast Mountains, British Columbia: characteristics, dynamics, and implications for hazard and risk assessment: Nat.Haz. Earth. Syst. Sci., 12, 1277-1294.
Allstadt, K., 2009, Study of Site Effects in Landslides using Weak Ground Motion, Avignonet and Séchilienne Landslides, French Alps, M.S. Thesis, Université Joseph Fourier and ROSE School. 87p.
**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.