In the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska, repeat, high-resolution aerial and satellite data provide a unique opportunity to learn how a large bedrock landslide with a receding and thinning glacier at the toe is deforming.
Lauren N Schaefer
Lauren Schaefer joined the USGS Geologic Hazards Science Center in June 2020. Lauren is a researcher with the Landslide Hazards Program investigating landslide hazards using a variety of engineering geology principles and remote sensing techniques.
Her research interests include multidisciplinary applications of synthetic aperture radar and spectral imaging, landslide and volcano monitoring, experimental rock mechanics, and material evolution in dynamic systems. She is additionally interested in natural hazard emergency management and improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the geosciences. She has previously served as a volunteer for the Red Cross, AmeriCorps, and GeoCorps America.
Professional Experience
2020-2021: U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Research Fellow
2019-2020: Research Associate, Colorado School of Mines, USA
2016-2019: Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Canterbury, New Zealand
Education and Certifications
2013-2016: PhD, Geological Engineering, Michigan Technological University, USA
2010-2012: MS, Geology, Michigan Technological University and Università degli Studi di Milano-Bicocca, Italy
2005-2009: BA, Environmental Geoscience, DePauw University, USA
Honors and Awards
U.S. Geological Survey Mendenhall Research Fellowship
American Geophysical Union Natural Hazards Graduate Research Award
NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship
National Science Foundation East Asia and Pacific Summer Institute Fellowship
Michigan Space Grant Consortium Graduate Fellowship
Association for Environmental and Engineering Geology Marliave Scholar Award
Science and Products
Landslide Assessments, Situational Awareness, and Event Response Research (LASER)
Landslide crises can unfold in many ways, but in all cases, responders and the public need information about what happened and what might happen next as soon as possible. The LASER project seeks to provide event-driven information products and assessments for landslide events to help guide decision-making and inform the public. The project also conducts research and development aimed towards...
Spectral reflectance data of rock and soil in southcentral Alaska
An ASD FieldSpec 4 Hi-Res NG Spectroradiometer was used to collect the reflectance properties of soil and rock in southcentral Alaska, USA (Figure 1) around the city of Anchorage (Figure 2) and the Prince William Sound (Figure 3). Reflectance is a property of the material being observed, being the ratio of the amount of light leaving a target to the amount of light striking the target. Reflectance
Data for Laboratory simulation of earthquake-induced damage in lava dome rocks
We performed laboratory time-dependent creep and stress-oscillation earthquake simulations in uniaxial loading in compression and tension on four blocks of porphyritic dacite collected from pyroclastic deposits of Mt. Fugen, of the Unzen-dake volcanic complex in Japan (referred to as ‘Unzen volcano’). Experiments were carried out in the Experimental Volcanology and Geothermal Research Laboratory a
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2021 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Subaerial landslides at the head of the Barry Arm fjord remain a tsunami threat for the Prince William Sound region in southern Alaska. Tasked RADARSAT-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from two ultrafine beam modes (2 m), U19 and U15, were used to measure landslide movement of slopes near the toe of the Barry Glacier between 21 May 2021 and 5 November 2021. Data were acquired every 24 days, w
Earthquake triggered ground failure associated with the M7.1 2018 southcentral Alaska Earthquake (ver. 2.0, December 2023)
The November 30, 2018, magnitude (Mw) 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake triggered substantial ground failure throughout Anchorage and surrounding areas (Grant et al., 2020; Jibson et al., 2020). The earthquake was an intraslab event with a focal depth of about 47 km and an epicenter about 16 km north of the city of Anchorage. Peak ground accelerations reached ∼30% g. Despite the relatively low seve
Rapid Response Landslide Inventory for the 14 August 2021 M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, Earthquake
We present a preliminary point inventory of the landslides associated with the M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake that occurred on August 14, 2021. The mapping was part of rapid response efforts to identify hazards for situational awareness and emergency response by humanitarian aid organizations. This inventory accompanies an Open-File Report detailing the hazards presented by the landslides triggere
Initial Observations of Landslides triggered by the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake
This data release provides the locations of 43 landslides that occurred during the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake mapped from high-resolution lidar (1-m). Lidar data can be accessed via the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys elevation portal (https://elevation.alaska.gov). Each landslide is represented as a point corresponding to the approximate location of the mid-point of t
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2020 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Subaerial landslides at the head of Barry Arm Fjord in southern Alaska could generate tsunamis (if they rapidly failed into the Fjord) and are therefore a potential threat to people, marine interests, and infrastructure throughout the Prince William Sound region. Knowledge of ongoing landslide movement is essential to understanding the threat posed by the landslides. Because of the landslides' rem
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
In the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska, repeat, high-resolution aerial and satellite data provide a unique opportunity to learn how a large bedrock landslide with a receding and thinning glacier at the toe is deforming.
Satellite Interferometry Landslide Detection and Preliminary Tsunamigenic Plausibility Assessment in Prince William Sound, Southcentral Alaska
Regional mapping of actively deforming landslides, including measurements of landslide velocity, is integral for hazard assessments in paraglacial environments. These inventories are also critical for describing the potential impacts that the warming effects of climate change have on slope instability in mountainous and cryospheric terrain. The objective of this study is to identify slow-moving la
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jinwook Kim, Dennis M. Staley, Zhong Lu, Katherine R. Barnhart
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Our warming climate is adversely affecting cryospheric landscapes via glacial retreat, permafrost degradation, and associated slope destabilization. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the rapid retreat of Barry Glacier has destabilized the slopes flanking the glacier, resulting in numerous landslides. The largest of these landslides (∼500 Mm3 in volume) is more than 2 km wide and has the potential t
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jeffrey A. Coe, Katreen Wikstrom Jones, Brian D. Collins, Dennis M. Staley, Michael E. West, Ezgi Karasozen, Charles Prentice-James Miles, Gabriel J. Wolken, Ronald P. Daanan, Kelli Wadsworth Baxstrom
Laboratory simulation of earthquake-induced damage in lava dome rocks
Earthquakes can impart varying degrees of damage and permanent, inelastic strain on materials, potentially resulting in ruptures that may promote hazards such as landslides and other collapse events. However, the accumulation of damage in rocks under the frequency and amplitude of shaking experienced during earthquake events is rarely systematically measured due to technical limitations. Here, we
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jackie E. Kendrick, Yan Lavallée, Jenny Schauroth, Oliver D. Lamb, Anthony Lamur, Takahiro Miwa, Ben M. Kennedy
Damage amplification during repetitive seismic waves in mechanically loaded rocks
Cycles of stress build-up and release are inherent to tectonically active planets. Such stress oscillations impart strain and damage, prompting mechanically loaded rocks and materials to fail. Here, we investigate, under uniaxial conditions, damage accumulation and weakening caused by time-dependent creep (at 60, 65, and 70% of the rocks’ expected failure stress) and repeating stress oscillations
Authors
Anthony Lamur, Jackie E. Kendrick, Lauren N. Schaefer, Yan Lavallée, Ben M. Kennedy
Defining the Hoek-Brown constant mi for volcanic lithologies
The empirical Hoek-Brown failure criterion is a well-known and commonly used failure criterion for both intact rocks and rock masses, especially in geological engineering. The intact criterion is calculated using experimental triaxial compression test results on intact samples while the rock mass criterion modifies the intact strength using quantified measures of the rock mass quality. The Hoek-Br
Authors
Marlène C. Villeneuve, Michael J. Heap, Lauren N. Schaefer
Porosity, strength, and alteration – Towards a new volcano stability assessment tool using VNIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy
Volcano slope stability analysis is a critical component of volcanic hazard assessments and monitoring. However, traditional methods for assessing rock strength require physical samples of rock which may be difficult to obtain or characterize in bulk. Here, visible to shortwave infrared (350–2500 nm; VNIR–SWIR) reflected light spectroscopy on laboratory-tested rock samples from Ruapehu, Ohakuri, W
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Michael J. Heap, Lauren N. Schaefer, Herlan Darmawan, Frances M. Deegan, Ben M. Kennedy, Jean-Christophe Komorowski, Stuart Mead, Marina Rosas-Carbajal, Amy Ryan, Valentin R. Troll, Marlène C. Villeneuve, Thomas R. Walter
Rock alteration mapping in and around fossil shallow intrusions at Mt. Ruapehu New Zealand with laboratory and aerial hyperspectral imaging
Diagnostic absorption features in hyperspectral data can be used to identify a specific mineral or mineral associations. However, it is unknown how accurate hyperspectral mapping can be for identifying alteration mineral compositions at the resolution required to describe structures such as fossil intrusions, or whether it can accurately quantify the alteration present. This study compared petrogr
Authors
Abbey Douglas, Gabor Kereszturi, Lauren N. Schaefer, Ben M. Kennedy
National strategy for landslide loss reduction
Executive SummaryLandslide hazards are present in all 50 States and most U.S. territories, and they affect lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment. Landslides are the downslope movement of earth materials under the force of gravity. They can occur without any obvious trigger. Widespread or severe landslide events are often driven by such hazards as hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic
Authors
Jonathan W. Godt, Nathan J. Wood, Alice Pennaz, Connor M. Dacey, Benjamin B. Mirus, Lauren N. Schaefer, Stephen L. Slaughter
Landslides triggered by the August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake
The August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake triggered thousands of landslides on the Tiburon Peninsula. The landslides directly caused fatalities and damage and impeded response efforts by blocking roads and causing other infrastructure damage. Adverse effects of the landslides likely will continue for months to years. This report presents an assessment of potential postearthquake
Authors
Sabrina N. Martinez, Kate E. Allstadt, Stephen L. Slaughter, Robert G. Schmitt, Elaine Collins, Lauren N. Schaefer, Sonia Ellison
Evaluation of remote mapping techniques for earthquake-triggered landslide inventories in an urban subarctic environment: A case study of the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska Earthquake
Earthquake-induced landslide inventories can be generated using field observations but doing so can be challenging if the affected landscape is large or inaccessible after an earthquake. Remote sensing data can be used to help overcome these limitations. The effectiveness of remotely sensed data to produce landslide inventories, however, is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the extent of
Authors
Sabrina N. Martinez, Lauren N. Schaefer, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson
Material properties and triggering mechanisms of an andesitic lava dome collapse at Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, revealed using the finite element method
Shiveluch volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) is an active andesitic volcano with a history of explosive activity, dome extrusion, and structural collapse during the Holocene. The most recent major (> 1 km3) dome collapse occurred in November 1964, producing a ~ 1.5 km3 debris avalanche that traveled over 15 km from the vent and triggered a phreatic explosion followed by a voluminous (~ 0.8 km3) eruption
Authors
Cory S Wallace, Lauren N. Schaefer, Marlène C. Villeneuve
Hydrothermal alteration on composite volcanoes: Mineralogy, hyperspectral imaging and aeromagnetic study of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand
Prolonged volcanic activity can induce surface weathering and hydrothermal alteration that is a primary control on edifice instability, posing a complex hazard with its challenges to accurately forecast and mitigate. This study uses a frequently active composite volcano, Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, to develop a conceptual model of surface weathering and hydrothermal alteration applicable to long‐live
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Lauren N. Schaefer, Craig A. Miller, Stuart Mead
Non-USGS Publications**
Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Villeneuve M., Kennedy B, (2021) Determining physical and mechanical volcanic rock properties via reflectance spectroscopy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 420. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2021.107393
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, Mead S, Miller C, Procter J, and Kennedy BM (2021) Synthesis of hydrothermal alteration, rock mechanics and geophysical mapping to constrain failure and debris avalanche hazards at Mt Ruapehu (New Zealand). New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, IAVCEI Special Issue: Cenozoic Volcanism in New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2021.1885048
Santi P and Schaefer LN (Eds.) (2021) Special Issue on Debris Flows Volume 1. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.27.1.1
Santi P and Schaefer LN (Eds.) (2021) Special Issue on Debris Flows- Part 2. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.27.2.151
Schaefer LN, Santi PM, Duran TC (2021) Debris flow behavior during the September 2013 rainstorm event in the Colorado Front Range, USA. Landslides, 1(11). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01590-5
Schipper I, Castro JM, Kennedy BM, Tuffen H, Whattam J, Wadsworth FB, Paisley R, Fitzgerald R, Rhodes E, Schaefer LN, Ashwell P, Forte P, Seropian G, Alloway B. (2021) Silicic conduits as supersized tuffisites: Clastogenic influences on shifting eruption styles at Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile). Bulletin of Volcanology, 83(11). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-020-01432-1
Kendrick JE, Schaefer LN, Schauroth J, Bell AF, Lamb O, Lamur A, Miwa T, Coats R, Lavallée Y, Kennedy B. (2020) Physical and mechanical rock properties of a heterogeneous volcano; the case of Mount Unzen, Japan. Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2020-163
Wallace CS, Schaefer LN, Villeneuve MC (2020) Constraining the material properties and triggering mechanism of a catastrophic volcanic dome collapse at Shiveluch volcano, Russia, using the finite element method. In: Proceedings of the 54th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Golden, CO.
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, Miller CA, Mead S (2020) Hydrothermal alteration on composite volcanoes- mineralogy, hyperspectral imaging and aeromagnetic study of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. Earth and Space Science, 21(9). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009270
Schaefer LN, Kennedy BM, Kendrick JE, Lavallee Y, Takahiro M (2020) Laboratory measurements of damage evolution in dynamic volcanic environments: from slow to rapid strain events. In: Proceedings of the 54th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Golden, CO.
Miller CA, Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Fourier D. (2020) Three dimensional mapping of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, from aeromagnetic data inversion and hyperspectral imaging. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125(2). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JB018247
Schaefer LN, Di Traglia F, Lu Z, Chaussard E, Nolesini T, Casagli C (2019) Monitoring volcano slope instability with Synthetic Aperture Radar: a review and new data from Pacaya (Guatemala) and Stromboli (Italy) volcanoes. Earth-Science Reviews, 192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.03.009
Kereszturi G, Pullanagari R, Mead S, Schaefer LN, Procter J, Schleiffarth WK, Kennedy B (2018) Geological mapping of hydrothermal alteration on volcanoes from multi-sensor platforms. In: Proceedings of the 2018 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 23-27 July. Valencia, Spain.
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, W. Schleiffarth WK, Procter J, Pullanagari R, Mead S, Kennedy B (2018) Integrating airborne hyperspectral imagery and LiDAR for volcano mapping and monitoring through image classification. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2018.07.006
Schaefer LN, Kennedy BM, Villeneuve MC, Cook SC, Jolly A, Keys H, Leonard G (2018) Stability assessment of the Crater Lake/Te Wai-ā-moe overflow channel at Mt. Ruapehu (New Zealand), and implications for volcanic lake break-out triggers. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 358C. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2018.06.011
Schaefer LN, Wang T, Escobar-Wolf R, Oommen T, Lu Z, Kim J, Lundgren PR, and Waite GP (2017) Three-dimensional displacements of a large volcano flank movement during the May 2010 eruptions at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Geophysical Research Letters, 44. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071402
Schaefer LN, Lu Z, Oommen T (2016) Post-eruption deformation processes measured using ALOS-1 and UAVSAR InSAR at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Remote Sensing 8(1). https://doi:10.3390/rs8010073
Schaefer LN, Kendrick JE, Oommen T, Lavallée Y, Chigna G (2015) Geomechanical rock properties of a basaltic volcano. Frontiers in Earth Science 3. https://doi:10.3389/feart.2015.00029
Schaefer LN, Lu Z, Oommen T (2015) Dramatic volcanic instability revealed by InSAR. Geology 43. https://doi:10.1130/G36678.1
Schaefer LN, Oommen T, Corazzato C, Tibaldi A, Escobar-Wolf R, Rose WI (2013) An integrated field-numerical approach to assess slope stability hazards at volcanoes: the example of Pacaya, Guatemala. Bulletin of Volcanology 75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-013-0720-7
Schaefer LN, Oommen T, Corazzato C, Tibaldi A, Rose WI (2012) Numerical modeling of volcanic slope instability and related hazards at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. In: Proceedings of 46th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Chicago, IL.
Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Kennedy B, Villeneuve M (2023) Characterizing lithological, weathering, and hydrothermal alteration influences on volcanic rock properties via spectroscopy and laboratory testing: a case study of Mt. Ruapehu volcano, New Zealand. Bulletin of Volcanology, 85(43). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-023-01657-w
Seropian G, Higginbotham K, Kennedy BM, Schaefer LN, Walter TR, Soldati A (2023) The effect of mechanical shaking on the rising velocity of bubbles in high-viscosity shear-thinning fluids. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128(5), e2022JB025741. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB025741.
**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
Landslide Assessments, Situational Awareness, and Event Response Research (LASER)
Landslide crises can unfold in many ways, but in all cases, responders and the public need information about what happened and what might happen next as soon as possible. The LASER project seeks to provide event-driven information products and assessments for landslide events to help guide decision-making and inform the public. The project also conducts research and development aimed towards...
Spectral reflectance data of rock and soil in southcentral Alaska
An ASD FieldSpec 4 Hi-Res NG Spectroradiometer was used to collect the reflectance properties of soil and rock in southcentral Alaska, USA (Figure 1) around the city of Anchorage (Figure 2) and the Prince William Sound (Figure 3). Reflectance is a property of the material being observed, being the ratio of the amount of light leaving a target to the amount of light striking the target. Reflectance
Data for Laboratory simulation of earthquake-induced damage in lava dome rocks
We performed laboratory time-dependent creep and stress-oscillation earthquake simulations in uniaxial loading in compression and tension on four blocks of porphyritic dacite collected from pyroclastic deposits of Mt. Fugen, of the Unzen-dake volcanic complex in Japan (referred to as ‘Unzen volcano’). Experiments were carried out in the Experimental Volcanology and Geothermal Research Laboratory a
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2021 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Subaerial landslides at the head of the Barry Arm fjord remain a tsunami threat for the Prince William Sound region in southern Alaska. Tasked RADARSAT-2 synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from two ultrafine beam modes (2 m), U19 and U15, were used to measure landslide movement of slopes near the toe of the Barry Glacier between 21 May 2021 and 5 November 2021. Data were acquired every 24 days, w
Earthquake triggered ground failure associated with the M7.1 2018 southcentral Alaska Earthquake (ver. 2.0, December 2023)
The November 30, 2018, magnitude (Mw) 7.1 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake triggered substantial ground failure throughout Anchorage and surrounding areas (Grant et al., 2020; Jibson et al., 2020). The earthquake was an intraslab event with a focal depth of about 47 km and an epicenter about 16 km north of the city of Anchorage. Peak ground accelerations reached ∼30% g. Despite the relatively low seve
Rapid Response Landslide Inventory for the 14 August 2021 M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, Earthquake
We present a preliminary point inventory of the landslides associated with the M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake that occurred on August 14, 2021. The mapping was part of rapid response efforts to identify hazards for situational awareness and emergency response by humanitarian aid organizations. This inventory accompanies an Open-File Report detailing the hazards presented by the landslides triggere
Initial Observations of Landslides triggered by the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake
This data release provides the locations of 43 landslides that occurred during the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska earthquake mapped from high-resolution lidar (1-m). Lidar data can be accessed via the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys elevation portal (https://elevation.alaska.gov). Each landslide is represented as a point corresponding to the approximate location of the mid-point of t
Interferometric synthetic aperture radar data from 2020 for landslides at Barry Arm Fjord, Alaska
Subaerial landslides at the head of Barry Arm Fjord in southern Alaska could generate tsunamis (if they rapidly failed into the Fjord) and are therefore a potential threat to people, marine interests, and infrastructure throughout the Prince William Sound region. Knowledge of ongoing landslide movement is essential to understanding the threat posed by the landslides. Because of the landslides' rem
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
In the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska, repeat, high-resolution aerial and satellite data provide a unique opportunity to learn how a large bedrock landslide with a receding and thinning glacier at the toe is deforming.
In the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska, repeat, high-resolution aerial and satellite data provide a unique opportunity to learn how a large bedrock landslide with a receding and thinning glacier at the toe is deforming.
Satellite Interferometry Landslide Detection and Preliminary Tsunamigenic Plausibility Assessment in Prince William Sound, Southcentral Alaska
Regional mapping of actively deforming landslides, including measurements of landslide velocity, is integral for hazard assessments in paraglacial environments. These inventories are also critical for describing the potential impacts that the warming effects of climate change have on slope instability in mountainous and cryospheric terrain. The objective of this study is to identify slow-moving la
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jinwook Kim, Dennis M. Staley, Zhong Lu, Katherine R. Barnhart
Kinematic evolution of a large paraglacial landslide in the Barry Arm fjord of Alaska
Our warming climate is adversely affecting cryospheric landscapes via glacial retreat, permafrost degradation, and associated slope destabilization. In Prince William Sound, Alaska, the rapid retreat of Barry Glacier has destabilized the slopes flanking the glacier, resulting in numerous landslides. The largest of these landslides (∼500 Mm3 in volume) is more than 2 km wide and has the potential t
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jeffrey A. Coe, Katreen Wikstrom Jones, Brian D. Collins, Dennis M. Staley, Michael E. West, Ezgi Karasozen, Charles Prentice-James Miles, Gabriel J. Wolken, Ronald P. Daanan, Kelli Wadsworth Baxstrom
Laboratory simulation of earthquake-induced damage in lava dome rocks
Earthquakes can impart varying degrees of damage and permanent, inelastic strain on materials, potentially resulting in ruptures that may promote hazards such as landslides and other collapse events. However, the accumulation of damage in rocks under the frequency and amplitude of shaking experienced during earthquake events is rarely systematically measured due to technical limitations. Here, we
Authors
Lauren N. Schaefer, Jackie E. Kendrick, Yan Lavallée, Jenny Schauroth, Oliver D. Lamb, Anthony Lamur, Takahiro Miwa, Ben M. Kennedy
Damage amplification during repetitive seismic waves in mechanically loaded rocks
Cycles of stress build-up and release are inherent to tectonically active planets. Such stress oscillations impart strain and damage, prompting mechanically loaded rocks and materials to fail. Here, we investigate, under uniaxial conditions, damage accumulation and weakening caused by time-dependent creep (at 60, 65, and 70% of the rocks’ expected failure stress) and repeating stress oscillations
Authors
Anthony Lamur, Jackie E. Kendrick, Lauren N. Schaefer, Yan Lavallée, Ben M. Kennedy
Defining the Hoek-Brown constant mi for volcanic lithologies
The empirical Hoek-Brown failure criterion is a well-known and commonly used failure criterion for both intact rocks and rock masses, especially in geological engineering. The intact criterion is calculated using experimental triaxial compression test results on intact samples while the rock mass criterion modifies the intact strength using quantified measures of the rock mass quality. The Hoek-Br
Authors
Marlène C. Villeneuve, Michael J. Heap, Lauren N. Schaefer
Porosity, strength, and alteration – Towards a new volcano stability assessment tool using VNIR-SWIR reflectance spectroscopy
Volcano slope stability analysis is a critical component of volcanic hazard assessments and monitoring. However, traditional methods for assessing rock strength require physical samples of rock which may be difficult to obtain or characterize in bulk. Here, visible to shortwave infrared (350–2500 nm; VNIR–SWIR) reflected light spectroscopy on laboratory-tested rock samples from Ruapehu, Ohakuri, W
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Michael J. Heap, Lauren N. Schaefer, Herlan Darmawan, Frances M. Deegan, Ben M. Kennedy, Jean-Christophe Komorowski, Stuart Mead, Marina Rosas-Carbajal, Amy Ryan, Valentin R. Troll, Marlène C. Villeneuve, Thomas R. Walter
Rock alteration mapping in and around fossil shallow intrusions at Mt. Ruapehu New Zealand with laboratory and aerial hyperspectral imaging
Diagnostic absorption features in hyperspectral data can be used to identify a specific mineral or mineral associations. However, it is unknown how accurate hyperspectral mapping can be for identifying alteration mineral compositions at the resolution required to describe structures such as fossil intrusions, or whether it can accurately quantify the alteration present. This study compared petrogr
Authors
Abbey Douglas, Gabor Kereszturi, Lauren N. Schaefer, Ben M. Kennedy
National strategy for landslide loss reduction
Executive SummaryLandslide hazards are present in all 50 States and most U.S. territories, and they affect lives, property, infrastructure, and the environment. Landslides are the downslope movement of earth materials under the force of gravity. They can occur without any obvious trigger. Widespread or severe landslide events are often driven by such hazards as hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanic
Authors
Jonathan W. Godt, Nathan J. Wood, Alice Pennaz, Connor M. Dacey, Benjamin B. Mirus, Lauren N. Schaefer, Stephen L. Slaughter
Landslides triggered by the August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake
The August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake triggered thousands of landslides on the Tiburon Peninsula. The landslides directly caused fatalities and damage and impeded response efforts by blocking roads and causing other infrastructure damage. Adverse effects of the landslides likely will continue for months to years. This report presents an assessment of potential postearthquake
Authors
Sabrina N. Martinez, Kate E. Allstadt, Stephen L. Slaughter, Robert G. Schmitt, Elaine Collins, Lauren N. Schaefer, Sonia Ellison
Evaluation of remote mapping techniques for earthquake-triggered landslide inventories in an urban subarctic environment: A case study of the 2018 Anchorage, Alaska Earthquake
Earthquake-induced landslide inventories can be generated using field observations but doing so can be challenging if the affected landscape is large or inaccessible after an earthquake. Remote sensing data can be used to help overcome these limitations. The effectiveness of remotely sensed data to produce landslide inventories, however, is dependent on a variety of factors, such as the extent of
Authors
Sabrina N. Martinez, Lauren N. Schaefer, Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson
Material properties and triggering mechanisms of an andesitic lava dome collapse at Shiveluch Volcano, Kamchatka, Russia, revealed using the finite element method
Shiveluch volcano (Kamchatka, Russia) is an active andesitic volcano with a history of explosive activity, dome extrusion, and structural collapse during the Holocene. The most recent major (> 1 km3) dome collapse occurred in November 1964, producing a ~ 1.5 km3 debris avalanche that traveled over 15 km from the vent and triggered a phreatic explosion followed by a voluminous (~ 0.8 km3) eruption
Authors
Cory S Wallace, Lauren N. Schaefer, Marlène C. Villeneuve
Hydrothermal alteration on composite volcanoes: Mineralogy, hyperspectral imaging and aeromagnetic study of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand
Prolonged volcanic activity can induce surface weathering and hydrothermal alteration that is a primary control on edifice instability, posing a complex hazard with its challenges to accurately forecast and mitigate. This study uses a frequently active composite volcano, Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, to develop a conceptual model of surface weathering and hydrothermal alteration applicable to long‐live
Authors
Gabor Kereszturi, Lauren N. Schaefer, Craig A. Miller, Stuart Mead
Non-USGS Publications**
Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Villeneuve M., Kennedy B, (2021) Determining physical and mechanical volcanic rock properties via reflectance spectroscopy. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 420. doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2021.107393
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, Mead S, Miller C, Procter J, and Kennedy BM (2021) Synthesis of hydrothermal alteration, rock mechanics and geophysical mapping to constrain failure and debris avalanche hazards at Mt Ruapehu (New Zealand). New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics, IAVCEI Special Issue: Cenozoic Volcanism in New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.1080/00288306.2021.1885048
Santi P and Schaefer LN (Eds.) (2021) Special Issue on Debris Flows Volume 1. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.27.1.1
Santi P and Schaefer LN (Eds.) (2021) Special Issue on Debris Flows- Part 2. Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 27(2). https://doi.org/10.2113/gseegeosci.27.2.151
Schaefer LN, Santi PM, Duran TC (2021) Debris flow behavior during the September 2013 rainstorm event in the Colorado Front Range, USA. Landslides, 1(11). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10346-020-01590-5
Schipper I, Castro JM, Kennedy BM, Tuffen H, Whattam J, Wadsworth FB, Paisley R, Fitzgerald R, Rhodes E, Schaefer LN, Ashwell P, Forte P, Seropian G, Alloway B. (2021) Silicic conduits as supersized tuffisites: Clastogenic influences on shifting eruption styles at Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile). Bulletin of Volcanology, 83(11). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-020-01432-1
Kendrick JE, Schaefer LN, Schauroth J, Bell AF, Lamb O, Lamur A, Miwa T, Coats R, Lavallée Y, Kennedy B. (2020) Physical and mechanical rock properties of a heterogeneous volcano; the case of Mount Unzen, Japan. Journal of Geophysical Research-Solid Earth. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2020-163
Wallace CS, Schaefer LN, Villeneuve MC (2020) Constraining the material properties and triggering mechanism of a catastrophic volcanic dome collapse at Shiveluch volcano, Russia, using the finite element method. In: Proceedings of the 54th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Golden, CO.
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, Miller CA, Mead S (2020) Hydrothermal alteration on composite volcanoes- mineralogy, hyperspectral imaging and aeromagnetic study of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand. Earth and Space Science, 21(9). https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GC009270
Schaefer LN, Kennedy BM, Kendrick JE, Lavallee Y, Takahiro M (2020) Laboratory measurements of damage evolution in dynamic volcanic environments: from slow to rapid strain events. In: Proceedings of the 54th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Golden, CO.
Miller CA, Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Fourier D. (2020) Three dimensional mapping of Mt Ruapehu, New Zealand, from aeromagnetic data inversion and hyperspectral imaging. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125(2). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JB018247
Schaefer LN, Di Traglia F, Lu Z, Chaussard E, Nolesini T, Casagli C (2019) Monitoring volcano slope instability with Synthetic Aperture Radar: a review and new data from Pacaya (Guatemala) and Stromboli (Italy) volcanoes. Earth-Science Reviews, 192. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2019.03.009
Kereszturi G, Pullanagari R, Mead S, Schaefer LN, Procter J, Schleiffarth WK, Kennedy B (2018) Geological mapping of hydrothermal alteration on volcanoes from multi-sensor platforms. In: Proceedings of the 2018 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium, 23-27 July. Valencia, Spain.
Kereszturi G, Schaefer LN, W. Schleiffarth WK, Procter J, Pullanagari R, Mead S, Kennedy B (2018) Integrating airborne hyperspectral imagery and LiDAR for volcano mapping and monitoring through image classification. International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jag.2018.07.006
Schaefer LN, Kennedy BM, Villeneuve MC, Cook SC, Jolly A, Keys H, Leonard G (2018) Stability assessment of the Crater Lake/Te Wai-ā-moe overflow channel at Mt. Ruapehu (New Zealand), and implications for volcanic lake break-out triggers. Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 358C. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2018.06.011
Schaefer LN, Wang T, Escobar-Wolf R, Oommen T, Lu Z, Kim J, Lundgren PR, and Waite GP (2017) Three-dimensional displacements of a large volcano flank movement during the May 2010 eruptions at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Geophysical Research Letters, 44. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL071402
Schaefer LN, Lu Z, Oommen T (2016) Post-eruption deformation processes measured using ALOS-1 and UAVSAR InSAR at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. Remote Sensing 8(1). https://doi:10.3390/rs8010073
Schaefer LN, Kendrick JE, Oommen T, Lavallée Y, Chigna G (2015) Geomechanical rock properties of a basaltic volcano. Frontiers in Earth Science 3. https://doi:10.3389/feart.2015.00029
Schaefer LN, Lu Z, Oommen T (2015) Dramatic volcanic instability revealed by InSAR. Geology 43. https://doi:10.1130/G36678.1
Schaefer LN, Oommen T, Corazzato C, Tibaldi A, Escobar-Wolf R, Rose WI (2013) An integrated field-numerical approach to assess slope stability hazards at volcanoes: the example of Pacaya, Guatemala. Bulletin of Volcanology 75. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-013-0720-7
Schaefer LN, Oommen T, Corazzato C, Tibaldi A, Rose WI (2012) Numerical modeling of volcanic slope instability and related hazards at Pacaya Volcano, Guatemala. In: Proceedings of 46th US Rock Mechanics Geomechanics Symposium, American Rock Mechanics Association. Chicago, IL.
Schaefer LN, Kereszturi G, Kennedy B, Villeneuve M (2023) Characterizing lithological, weathering, and hydrothermal alteration influences on volcanic rock properties via spectroscopy and laboratory testing: a case study of Mt. Ruapehu volcano, New Zealand. Bulletin of Volcanology, 85(43). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00445-023-01657-w
Seropian G, Higginbotham K, Kennedy BM, Schaefer LN, Walter TR, Soldati A (2023) The effect of mechanical shaking on the rising velocity of bubbles in high-viscosity shear-thinning fluids. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 128(5), e2022JB025741. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB025741.
**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.