Paul A Bedrosian
Paul is an expert in the development and application of electromagnetic geophysical methods to framework tectonics, resource assessment, natural hazards and fundamental Earth processes. His work has investigated seismic variability along the San Andreas Fault, tectonics of the Pacific Northwest and Upper Midwest, and the structure of Mount St. Helens. His current research is on regional-scale mine
Research Interests
- Structure and evolution of active and fossil tectonic margins
- Geophysical imaging of hydrothermal and magmatic systems
- Joint interpretation of coincident geophysical data sets
- Advanced processing and modeling techniques for imaging earth structure
Professional Experience
2008-present, Research Geophysicist, U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
2005-2007, Mendenhall Fellow, U.S Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado
2002-2004, Humboldt Fellow, GeoForschungsZentrum, Potsdam Germany
1998-2002, Research Assistant, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Education and Certifications
Ph.D. Physics, University of Washington, 2002
M.S. Physics, University of Washington, 1998
B.S. Physics, University Of Minnesota, 1996
B.S. Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 1996
Affiliations and Memberships*
2010-present, Summer of Applied Geophysical Experience (faculty)
2018-present, Earth, Planets and Space Journal (editor)
American Geophysical Union
Geological Society of America
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 13
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 83
Extreme-event geoelectric hazard maps: Chapter 9 Extreme-event geoelectric hazard maps: Chapter 9
Maps of geoelectric amplitude covering about half the continental United States are presented that will be exceeded, on average, once per century in response to an extreme-intensity geomagnetic disturbance. These maps are constructed using an empirical parameterization of induction: convolving latitude-dependent statistical maps of extreme-value geomagnetic disturbances, obtained from...
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Paul Bedrosian
Water-resources and land-surface deformation evaluation studies at Fort Irwin National Training Center, Mojave Desert, California Water-resources and land-surface deformation evaluation studies at Fort Irwin National Training Center, Mojave Desert, California
The U.S. Army Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC), in the Mojave Desert, obtains all of its potable water supply from three groundwater basins (Irwin, Langford, and Bicycle) within the NTC boundaries (fig. 1; California Department of Water Resources, 2003). Because of increasing water demands at the NTC, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army...
Authors
Jill Densmore, Justine Dishart, David M. Miller, David Buesch, Lyndsay Ball, Paul Bedrosian, Linda Woolfenden, Geoffrey Cromwell, Matthew Burgess, Joseph Nawikas, David O’Leary, Adam Kjos, Michelle Sneed, Justin Brandt
Geoelectric monitoring at the Boulder magnetic observatory Geoelectric monitoring at the Boulder magnetic observatory
Despite its importance to a range of applied and fundamental studies, and obvious parallels to a robust network of magnetic-field observatories, long-term geoelectric field monitoring is rarely performed. The installation of a new geoelectric monitoring system at the Boulder magnetic observatory of the US Geological Survey is summarized. Data from the system are expected, among other...
Authors
Cletus Blum, Tim White, Edward Sauter, Duff Stewart, Paul Bedrosian, Jeffrey Love
Magnetotelluric imaging of lower crustal melt and lithospheric hydration in the Rocky Mountain Front transition zone, Colorado, USA Magnetotelluric imaging of lower crustal melt and lithospheric hydration in the Rocky Mountain Front transition zone, Colorado, USA
We present an electrical resistivity model of the crust and upper mantle from two‐dimensional (2‐D) anisotropic inversion of magnetotelluric data collected along a 450 km transect of the Rio Grande rift, southern Rocky Mountains, and High Plains in Colorado, USA. Our model provides a window into the modern‐day lithosphere beneath the Rocky Mountain Front to depths in excess of 150 km...
Authors
D. W. Feucht, Anne Sheehan, Paul Bedrosian
Hydrogeophysical investigations of earthen dams – Two California case studies Hydrogeophysical investigations of earthen dams – Two California case studies
Excessive groundwater seepage can be a common engineering concern with earthen dams. The application of geophysical methods, whether for characterization or for long-term monitoring, to help inform mitigation strategies is becoming a more common addition to these investigations. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed geophysical investigations at several earthen dams in...
Authors
Bethany Burton, Paul Bedrosian, Burke Minsley, Scott Ikard, Michael Powers
Down to Earth with an electric hazard from space Down to Earth with an electric hazard from space
In reaching across traditional disciplinary boundaries, solid-Earth geophysicists and space physicists are forging new collaborations to map magnetic-storm hazards for electric-power grids. Future progress in evaluation storm time geoelectric hazards will come primarily through monitoring, surveys, and modeling of related data.
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Paul Bedrosian, Adam Schultz
Mineral potential mapping in an accreted island-arc setting using aeromagnetic data: An example from southwest Alaska Mineral potential mapping in an accreted island-arc setting using aeromagnetic data: An example from southwest Alaska
The distribution of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), porphyry-epithermal, Alaska-type ultramafic-mafic complexes, intrusion-related Au, and granitoid Sn-W ore deposits in southwest Alaska supports current metallogenic models linking the formation of these deposit types to the emplacement of different suites of igneous rocks during the evolution of this convergent plate margin...
Authors
Eric Anderson, Thomas Monecke, Murray Hitzman, Wendy Zhou, Paul Bedrosian
Geoelectric hazard maps for the continental United States Geoelectric hazard maps for the continental United States
In support of a multiagency project for assessing induction hazards, we present maps of extreme-value geoelectric amplitudes over about half of the continental United States. These maps are constructed using a parameterization of induction: estimates of Earth surface impedance, obtained at discrete geographic sites from magnetotelluric survey data, are convolved with latitude-dependent...
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Antti Pulkkinen, Paul Bedrosian, Seth Jonas, Anna Kelbert, Erin (Josh) Rigler, Carol Finn, Christopher Balch, Robert Rutledge, Richard Waggel, Andrew Sabata, Janet Kozyra, Carrie Black
Acquisition of a unique onshore/offshore geophysical and geochemical dataset in the Northern Malawi (Nyasa) Rift Acquisition of a unique onshore/offshore geophysical and geochemical dataset in the Northern Malawi (Nyasa) Rift
The Study of Extension and maGmatism in Malawi aNd Tanzania (SEGMeNT) project acquired a comprehensive suite of geophysical and geochemical datasets across the northern Malawi (Nyasa) rift in the East Africa rift system. Onshore/offshore active and passive seismic data, long‐period and wideband magnetotelluric data, continuous Global Positioning System data, and geochemical samples were...
Authors
Donna Shillington, J. B. Gaherty, Cynthia Ebinger, Christopher A. Scholz, Kate Selway, Andrew Nyblade, Paul Bedrosian, Cornelia Class, Scott Nooner, Matthew Pritchard, Julie Elliott, Patrick Chindandali, Gaby Mbogoni, Richard Ferdinand, Nelson Boniface, Shukrani Manya, Godson Kamihanda, Elifuraha Saria, Gabriel Mulibo, Jalf Salima, Abdul Mruma, Leonard Kalindekafe, Natalie Accardo, Ntambila Daud, Marsella Kachingwe, Gary Mesko, Tannis McCartney, Melania Maquay, J. O’Donnell, Gabrielle Tepp, Khalfan Mtelela, Per Trinhammer, Douglas Wood, Ernest Aaron, Mark Gibaud, Martin Rapa, Cathy Pfeifer, Felix Mphepo, Duncan Gondwe, Gabriella Arroyo, Celia Eddy
Highly conductive horizons in the Mesoproterozoic Belt-Purcell Basin: Sulfidic early basin strata as key markers of Cordilleran shortening and Eocene extension Highly conductive horizons in the Mesoproterozoic Belt-Purcell Basin: Sulfidic early basin strata as key markers of Cordilleran shortening and Eocene extension
We investigated the crustal structure of the central Mesoproterozoic Belt Basin in northwestern Montana and northern Idaho using a crustal resistivity section derived from a transect of new short- and long-period magnetotelluric (MT) stations. Two- and three-dimensional resistivity models were generated from these data in combination with data collected previously along three parallel...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian, Stephen Box
Making it and breaking it in the Midwest: Continental assembly and rifting from modeling of EarthScope magnetotelluric data Making it and breaking it in the Midwest: Continental assembly and rifting from modeling of EarthScope magnetotelluric data
A three-dimensional lithospheric-scale resistivity model of the North American mid-continent has been estimated based upon EarthScope magnetotelluric data. Details of the resistivity model are discussed in relation to lithospheric sutures, defined primarily from aeromagnetic and geochronologic data, which record the southward growth of the Laurentian margin in the Proterozoic. The...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian
A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems for hydrogeologic studies A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems for hydrogeologic studies
The increased application of airborne electromagnetic surveys to hydrogeological studies is driving a demand for data that can consistently be inverted for accurate subsurface resistivity structure from the near surface to depths of several hundred metres. We present an evaluation of three commercial airborne electromagnetic systems over two test blocks in western Nebraska, USA. The...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian, Cyril Schamper, Esben Auken
Non-USGS Publications**
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth, G.D. Egbert and C.H. Thurber. 2004. Geophysical images of the creeping San Andreas Fault: Implications for the role of crustal fluids in the earthquake process, Tectonophys., 385(1-4), doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2004.02.010.
M.J. Unsworth and P.A. Bedrosian. 2004. Electrical resistivity structure at the SAFOD site from magnetotelluric exploration, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31(12), doi:10.1029/2003GL019045.
M.J. Unsworth and P.A. Bedrosian. 2004. On the geoelectric structure of major strike-slip faults and shear zones., Earth, Planets and Space, 56, 1177–1184, doi:10.1186/BF03353337.
M.J. Unsworth, W. Wenbo, A. G. Jones, S. Li, P.A. Bedrosian, J. Booker, J. Sheng, D. Ming and T. Handong. 2004. Crustal and upper mantle structure of Northern Tibet imaged with magnetotelluric data, J. Geophys. Res., 109, doi:10.1029/2002JB002305.
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth and G.D. Egbert. 2002. Magnetotelluric imaging of the creeping segment of the San Andreas Fault near Hollister, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(11), 1506, doi:10.1029/2001GL014119.
M. Unsworth, O.C. Enriquez, S. Belmonte, J. Arzate and P.A. Bedrosian. 2002. Crustal structure of the Chicxulub Impact Crater imaged with magnetotelluric exploration, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(16), 1788, doi:10.1029/2002GL014998.
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth and F. Wang. 2001. Structure of the Altyn Tagh Fault and Daxue Shan from magnetotelluric surveys: Implications for faulting associated with the rise of the Tibetan Plateau, Tectonics, 20, 474-486, doi:10.1029/2000TC001215.
W. Wenbo, M. Unsworth, A. Jones, J. Booker, H. Tan, D. Nelson, L. Chen, S. Li, K. Solon, P.A. Bedrosian, S. Jin, M. Deng, J. Ledo, D. Kay and B. Roberts. 2001. Widespread fluids in the Tibetan Crust, Science, 292(5517), 716-718, doi:10.1126/science.1010580.
M. Unsworth, P.A. Bedrosian, M. Eisel, G. Egbert and W. Siripunvaraporn. 2000. Along-strike variations in the electrical structure of the San Andreas Fault at Parkfield, California, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27(18), 3021-3024, doi:10.1029/2000GL011476.
**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: 13
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 83
Extreme-event geoelectric hazard maps: Chapter 9 Extreme-event geoelectric hazard maps: Chapter 9
Maps of geoelectric amplitude covering about half the continental United States are presented that will be exceeded, on average, once per century in response to an extreme-intensity geomagnetic disturbance. These maps are constructed using an empirical parameterization of induction: convolving latitude-dependent statistical maps of extreme-value geomagnetic disturbances, obtained from...
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Paul Bedrosian
Water-resources and land-surface deformation evaluation studies at Fort Irwin National Training Center, Mojave Desert, California Water-resources and land-surface deformation evaluation studies at Fort Irwin National Training Center, Mojave Desert, California
The U.S. Army Fort Irwin National Training Center (NTC), in the Mojave Desert, obtains all of its potable water supply from three groundwater basins (Irwin, Langford, and Bicycle) within the NTC boundaries (fig. 1; California Department of Water Resources, 2003). Because of increasing water demands at the NTC, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), in cooperation with the U.S. Army...
Authors
Jill Densmore, Justine Dishart, David M. Miller, David Buesch, Lyndsay Ball, Paul Bedrosian, Linda Woolfenden, Geoffrey Cromwell, Matthew Burgess, Joseph Nawikas, David O’Leary, Adam Kjos, Michelle Sneed, Justin Brandt
Geoelectric monitoring at the Boulder magnetic observatory Geoelectric monitoring at the Boulder magnetic observatory
Despite its importance to a range of applied and fundamental studies, and obvious parallels to a robust network of magnetic-field observatories, long-term geoelectric field monitoring is rarely performed. The installation of a new geoelectric monitoring system at the Boulder magnetic observatory of the US Geological Survey is summarized. Data from the system are expected, among other...
Authors
Cletus Blum, Tim White, Edward Sauter, Duff Stewart, Paul Bedrosian, Jeffrey Love
Magnetotelluric imaging of lower crustal melt and lithospheric hydration in the Rocky Mountain Front transition zone, Colorado, USA Magnetotelluric imaging of lower crustal melt and lithospheric hydration in the Rocky Mountain Front transition zone, Colorado, USA
We present an electrical resistivity model of the crust and upper mantle from two‐dimensional (2‐D) anisotropic inversion of magnetotelluric data collected along a 450 km transect of the Rio Grande rift, southern Rocky Mountains, and High Plains in Colorado, USA. Our model provides a window into the modern‐day lithosphere beneath the Rocky Mountain Front to depths in excess of 150 km...
Authors
D. W. Feucht, Anne Sheehan, Paul Bedrosian
Hydrogeophysical investigations of earthen dams – Two California case studies Hydrogeophysical investigations of earthen dams – Two California case studies
Excessive groundwater seepage can be a common engineering concern with earthen dams. The application of geophysical methods, whether for characterization or for long-term monitoring, to help inform mitigation strategies is becoming a more common addition to these investigations. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has completed geophysical investigations at several earthen dams in...
Authors
Bethany Burton, Paul Bedrosian, Burke Minsley, Scott Ikard, Michael Powers
Down to Earth with an electric hazard from space Down to Earth with an electric hazard from space
In reaching across traditional disciplinary boundaries, solid-Earth geophysicists and space physicists are forging new collaborations to map magnetic-storm hazards for electric-power grids. Future progress in evaluation storm time geoelectric hazards will come primarily through monitoring, surveys, and modeling of related data.
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Paul Bedrosian, Adam Schultz
Mineral potential mapping in an accreted island-arc setting using aeromagnetic data: An example from southwest Alaska Mineral potential mapping in an accreted island-arc setting using aeromagnetic data: An example from southwest Alaska
The distribution of volcanogenic massive sulfide (VMS), porphyry-epithermal, Alaska-type ultramafic-mafic complexes, intrusion-related Au, and granitoid Sn-W ore deposits in southwest Alaska supports current metallogenic models linking the formation of these deposit types to the emplacement of different suites of igneous rocks during the evolution of this convergent plate margin...
Authors
Eric Anderson, Thomas Monecke, Murray Hitzman, Wendy Zhou, Paul Bedrosian
Geoelectric hazard maps for the continental United States Geoelectric hazard maps for the continental United States
In support of a multiagency project for assessing induction hazards, we present maps of extreme-value geoelectric amplitudes over about half of the continental United States. These maps are constructed using a parameterization of induction: estimates of Earth surface impedance, obtained at discrete geographic sites from magnetotelluric survey data, are convolved with latitude-dependent...
Authors
Jeffrey Love, Antti Pulkkinen, Paul Bedrosian, Seth Jonas, Anna Kelbert, Erin (Josh) Rigler, Carol Finn, Christopher Balch, Robert Rutledge, Richard Waggel, Andrew Sabata, Janet Kozyra, Carrie Black
Acquisition of a unique onshore/offshore geophysical and geochemical dataset in the Northern Malawi (Nyasa) Rift Acquisition of a unique onshore/offshore geophysical and geochemical dataset in the Northern Malawi (Nyasa) Rift
The Study of Extension and maGmatism in Malawi aNd Tanzania (SEGMeNT) project acquired a comprehensive suite of geophysical and geochemical datasets across the northern Malawi (Nyasa) rift in the East Africa rift system. Onshore/offshore active and passive seismic data, long‐period and wideband magnetotelluric data, continuous Global Positioning System data, and geochemical samples were...
Authors
Donna Shillington, J. B. Gaherty, Cynthia Ebinger, Christopher A. Scholz, Kate Selway, Andrew Nyblade, Paul Bedrosian, Cornelia Class, Scott Nooner, Matthew Pritchard, Julie Elliott, Patrick Chindandali, Gaby Mbogoni, Richard Ferdinand, Nelson Boniface, Shukrani Manya, Godson Kamihanda, Elifuraha Saria, Gabriel Mulibo, Jalf Salima, Abdul Mruma, Leonard Kalindekafe, Natalie Accardo, Ntambila Daud, Marsella Kachingwe, Gary Mesko, Tannis McCartney, Melania Maquay, J. O’Donnell, Gabrielle Tepp, Khalfan Mtelela, Per Trinhammer, Douglas Wood, Ernest Aaron, Mark Gibaud, Martin Rapa, Cathy Pfeifer, Felix Mphepo, Duncan Gondwe, Gabriella Arroyo, Celia Eddy
Highly conductive horizons in the Mesoproterozoic Belt-Purcell Basin: Sulfidic early basin strata as key markers of Cordilleran shortening and Eocene extension Highly conductive horizons in the Mesoproterozoic Belt-Purcell Basin: Sulfidic early basin strata as key markers of Cordilleran shortening and Eocene extension
We investigated the crustal structure of the central Mesoproterozoic Belt Basin in northwestern Montana and northern Idaho using a crustal resistivity section derived from a transect of new short- and long-period magnetotelluric (MT) stations. Two- and three-dimensional resistivity models were generated from these data in combination with data collected previously along three parallel...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian, Stephen Box
Making it and breaking it in the Midwest: Continental assembly and rifting from modeling of EarthScope magnetotelluric data Making it and breaking it in the Midwest: Continental assembly and rifting from modeling of EarthScope magnetotelluric data
A three-dimensional lithospheric-scale resistivity model of the North American mid-continent has been estimated based upon EarthScope magnetotelluric data. Details of the resistivity model are discussed in relation to lithospheric sutures, defined primarily from aeromagnetic and geochronologic data, which record the southward growth of the Laurentian margin in the Proterozoic. The...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian
A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems for hydrogeologic studies A comparison of helicopter-borne electromagnetic systems for hydrogeologic studies
The increased application of airborne electromagnetic surveys to hydrogeological studies is driving a demand for data that can consistently be inverted for accurate subsurface resistivity structure from the near surface to depths of several hundred metres. We present an evaluation of three commercial airborne electromagnetic systems over two test blocks in western Nebraska, USA. The...
Authors
Paul Bedrosian, Cyril Schamper, Esben Auken
Non-USGS Publications**
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth, G.D. Egbert and C.H. Thurber. 2004. Geophysical images of the creeping San Andreas Fault: Implications for the role of crustal fluids in the earthquake process, Tectonophys., 385(1-4), doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2004.02.010.
M.J. Unsworth and P.A. Bedrosian. 2004. Electrical resistivity structure at the SAFOD site from magnetotelluric exploration, Geophys. Res. Lett., 31(12), doi:10.1029/2003GL019045.
M.J. Unsworth and P.A. Bedrosian. 2004. On the geoelectric structure of major strike-slip faults and shear zones., Earth, Planets and Space, 56, 1177–1184, doi:10.1186/BF03353337.
M.J. Unsworth, W. Wenbo, A. G. Jones, S. Li, P.A. Bedrosian, J. Booker, J. Sheng, D. Ming and T. Handong. 2004. Crustal and upper mantle structure of Northern Tibet imaged with magnetotelluric data, J. Geophys. Res., 109, doi:10.1029/2002JB002305.
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth and G.D. Egbert. 2002. Magnetotelluric imaging of the creeping segment of the San Andreas Fault near Hollister, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(11), 1506, doi:10.1029/2001GL014119.
M. Unsworth, O.C. Enriquez, S. Belmonte, J. Arzate and P.A. Bedrosian. 2002. Crustal structure of the Chicxulub Impact Crater imaged with magnetotelluric exploration, Geophys. Res. Lett., 29(16), 1788, doi:10.1029/2002GL014998.
P.A. Bedrosian, M.J. Unsworth and F. Wang. 2001. Structure of the Altyn Tagh Fault and Daxue Shan from magnetotelluric surveys: Implications for faulting associated with the rise of the Tibetan Plateau, Tectonics, 20, 474-486, doi:10.1029/2000TC001215.
W. Wenbo, M. Unsworth, A. Jones, J. Booker, H. Tan, D. Nelson, L. Chen, S. Li, K. Solon, P.A. Bedrosian, S. Jin, M. Deng, J. Ledo, D. Kay and B. Roberts. 2001. Widespread fluids in the Tibetan Crust, Science, 292(5517), 716-718, doi:10.1126/science.1010580.
M. Unsworth, P.A. Bedrosian, M. Eisel, G. Egbert and W. Siripunvaraporn. 2000. Along-strike variations in the electrical structure of the San Andreas Fault at Parkfield, California, Geophys. Res. Lett., 27(18), 3021-3024, doi:10.1029/2000GL011476.
**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.
*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government