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Peter J Haeussler, Ph.D.

Most of my research is related to earthquake and tsunami hazards in Alaska, with a focus on paleoseismology, submarine landslides, and active faulting. I am the Alaska Coordinator for the Earthquake Hazards Program of the USGS. I also study various aspects of the framework geology of Alaska, with a focus on neotectonics and tectonics.  

I use various tools to understand earthquakes and earthquake hazards in Alaska. I’ve studied the tectonic evolution of parts of Alaska, accretionary prisms along Alaska’s margin, forearc and splay faulting, submarine landslides, mountain building and exhumation, landscape evolution, glacial histories, and sedimentary basins. I’ve worked with marine and terrestrial seismic reflection and potential field data. Current work is focused on lacustrine paleoseismology, splay faulting, and various seismic hazards projects.

Professional Experience

  • 1994 - Present  Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK

  • 1992 - 1994       Postdoctoral Researcher, U.S. Geological Survey, Anchorage, AK

  • 1992                   Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA

  • 1986 - 1991       Research Assistant, University of California Santa Cruz

  • 1985 - 1988       Teaching Assistant, University of California Santa Cruz

  • 1985                   Geologist, Lancer Energy Corporation, Wilmore, KY

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D.   1991   University of California Santa Cruz    Earth Sciences

  • B.S.     1984    Michigan State University       Geology

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • 1985-present, American Geophysical Union

  • 1985-present, Geological Society of America

  • 1992-present, Alaska Geological Society

  • 2010-present, Seismological Society of America

Honors and Awards

  • Fellow, Geological Society of America

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 25
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Filter Total Items: 154

Tilting, burial, and uplift of the Guadalupe Igneous Complex, Sierra Nevada, California Tilting, burial, and uplift of the Guadalupe Igneous Complex, Sierra Nevada, California

It is often incorrectly assumed that plutons have a relatively uneventful structural history after emplacement. The 151 Ma Guadalupe Igneous Complex (GIC) in the Foothills Terrane, California, was involved in three post-emplacement events: (1) ∼30° of southwestside-up tilting during ductile regional faulting and contraction, (2) burial of the pluton from ∼4 to 12 km during crustal...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Scott R. Paterson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Structural evolution of an arc-basin: The Gravina Belt in central southeastern Alaska Structural evolution of an arc-basin: The Gravina Belt in central southeastern Alaska

The upper Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Gravina belt lies along the eastern margin of the Alexander terrane in southeastern Alaska. This group of turbidites and mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks was deformed during mid to Late Cretaceous time during the closing of a basin of unknown size between the Alexander terrane on the west and the Stikine terrane to the east. Therefore...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Paleomagnetism and geochronology of 23 Ma gabbroic intrusions in the Keku Strait, Alaska, and implications for the Alexander Terrane Paleomagnetism and geochronology of 23 Ma gabbroic intrusions in the Keku Strait, Alaska, and implications for the Alexander Terrane

Samples of Tertiary gabbro from 24 sites in the Keku Strait, Alaska, help constrain the displacement history of the Alexander terrane. Step heating experiments on a plagioclase separate from these previously undated intrusions indicate a discordant 40Ar/39Ar age of 23.1 ± 1.7 Ma. The characteristic magnetization resides in magnetite, is easily isolated by thermal and alternating field
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Robert S. Coe, Paul R. Renne
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Paleomagnetism of the Late Triassic Hound Island Volcanics: Revisited Paleomagnetism of the Late Triassic Hound Island Volcanics: Revisited

The collision and accretion of the Alexander terrane profoundly influenced the geologic history of Alaska and western Canada; however, the terrane's displacement history is only poorly constrained by sparse paleomagnetic studies. We studied the paleomagnetism of the Hound Island Volcanics in order to evaluate the location of the Alexander terrane in Late Triassic time. We collected 618...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Robert S. Coe, T.C. Onstott
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 25
No Result Found
No results found.
Filter Total Items: 154

Tilting, burial, and uplift of the Guadalupe Igneous Complex, Sierra Nevada, California Tilting, burial, and uplift of the Guadalupe Igneous Complex, Sierra Nevada, California

It is often incorrectly assumed that plutons have a relatively uneventful structural history after emplacement. The 151 Ma Guadalupe Igneous Complex (GIC) in the Foothills Terrane, California, was involved in three post-emplacement events: (1) ∼30° of southwestside-up tilting during ductile regional faulting and contraction, (2) burial of the pluton from ∼4 to 12 km during crustal...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Scott R. Paterson
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Structural evolution of an arc-basin: The Gravina Belt in central southeastern Alaska Structural evolution of an arc-basin: The Gravina Belt in central southeastern Alaska

The upper Middle Jurassic-Lower Cretaceous Gravina belt lies along the eastern margin of the Alexander terrane in southeastern Alaska. This group of turbidites and mafic to intermediate volcanic rocks was deformed during mid to Late Cretaceous time during the closing of a basin of unknown size between the Alexander terrane on the west and the Stikine terrane to the east. Therefore...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Paleomagnetism and geochronology of 23 Ma gabbroic intrusions in the Keku Strait, Alaska, and implications for the Alexander Terrane Paleomagnetism and geochronology of 23 Ma gabbroic intrusions in the Keku Strait, Alaska, and implications for the Alexander Terrane

Samples of Tertiary gabbro from 24 sites in the Keku Strait, Alaska, help constrain the displacement history of the Alexander terrane. Step heating experiments on a plagioclase separate from these previously undated intrusions indicate a discordant 40Ar/39Ar age of 23.1 ± 1.7 Ma. The characteristic magnetization resides in magnetite, is easily isolated by thermal and alternating field
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Robert S. Coe, Paul R. Renne
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

Paleomagnetism of the Late Triassic Hound Island Volcanics: Revisited Paleomagnetism of the Late Triassic Hound Island Volcanics: Revisited

The collision and accretion of the Alexander terrane profoundly influenced the geologic history of Alaska and western Canada; however, the terrane's displacement history is only poorly constrained by sparse paleomagnetic studies. We studied the paleomagnetism of the Hound Island Volcanics in order to evaluate the location of the Alexander terrane in Late Triassic time. We collected 618...
Authors
Peter J. Haeussler, Robert S. Coe, T.C. Onstott
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Alaska Science Center

*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

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