Ray Wells
Ray Wells is a research geologist in the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. Ray combines geologic mapping, structural geology and geophysical data to better understand the processes of crustal deformation, volcanism, and earthquake hazards of the Cascadia convergent margin in Oregon and Washington.
Ray Wells received his B.S. in Geological Science from Penn State, his M.S. from University of Oregon, and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Cruz. He has 45 years of field experience documenting the geologic structure and earthquake hazards of the Cascadia convergent margin in Oregon and Washington, focusing primarily on the Coast Range, Seattle - Portland urban corridor, and the Columbia River Gorge.
Professional Experience
2020-current, Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
2017-Research Associate, Portland State University, Portland, OR
2016-Research Geologist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey
1995-2013 Project Chief, Pacific Northwest Urban Corridor Geologic Mapping, USGS, Menlo Park, CA
1991-1996 Cascadia Regional Coordinator - USGS Deep Continental Surveys
1981-2016 Research Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
1980 Geologist, Washington Division of Geology and Earth Resources
1978-1980 Research Assistant, University of California, Santa Cruz
1976-1977 Teaching Assistant, University of California, Santa Cruz
1975-1976 Geologist, U.S. Geological Survey
1974 Geological Field Assistant, Mobil Oil Corp., Tyee Basin
1972-1974 Teaching Assistant, University of Oregon
1971 Geological Field Assistant, Johns-Mannville Ltd, Stillwater Complex
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 1982
M.S., Geology, University of Oregon, 1975
B.S., Geology, Art, Pennsylvania State University, 1972
Affiliations and Memberships*
1977 - Current, American Geophysical Union
1974 - Current, Geological Society of America
1990 - Current, Seismological Society of America (Fellow)
Bureau of Reclamation
Portland State University
Honors and Awards
Distinguished Service Award of the Department of the Interior
2017 Geological Society of America’s Geologic Mapping Award in honor of Florence Bascom
Geological Society of America George P. Woollard Award for outstanding contributions to geology through the application of the principles and techniques of geophysics
Science and Products
Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Cottage Grove to Woodburn, Oregon Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Cottage Grove to Woodburn, Oregon
The Interstate 5 highway (I-5) corridor, which stretches from Mexico to Canada, is both the main economic artery of the Pacific Northwest and home to the majority of Oregonians and Washingtonians. Accordingly, most regional utility and transportation systems have major components located within the I-5 corridor. For the purposes of this map, we refer to these essential systems as...
Field and laboratory data From an earthquake history study of scarps of the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault between the Elwha River and Siebert Creek, Clallam County, Washington Field and laboratory data From an earthquake history study of scarps of the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault between the Elwha River and Siebert Creek, Clallam County, Washington
Fault scarps recently discovered on Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM; also known as LiDAR) imagery show Holocene movement on the Lake Creek–Boundary Creek fault on the north flank of the Olympic Mountains of northwestern Washington State. Such recent movement suggests the fault is a potential source of large earthquakes. As part of the effort to assess seismic hazard in the Puget Sound...
Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, Washington Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, Washington
The Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area is in southwestern Washington at the mouth of the Columbia River. The area encompasses several major estuaries and their adjacent highlands, which reach elevations of about 2,000 feet. Rainfall is abundant and produces heavy vegetation and deep weathering of the bedrock. Natural bedrock exposures are restricted to stream courses along larger...
Filter Total Items: 108
An integrated feasibility study of reservoir thermal energy storage in Portland, Oregon, USA An integrated feasibility study of reservoir thermal energy storage in Portland, Oregon, USA
In regions with long cold overcast winters and sunny summers, Deep Direct-Use (DDU) can be coupled with Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage (RTES) technology to take advantage of pre-existing subsurface permeability to save summer heat for later use during cold seasons. Many aquifers worldwide are underlain by permeable regions (reservoirs) containing brackish or saline groundwater that has...
Authors
John Bershaw, Erick R. Burns, Trenton T Cladouhos, Alison E Horst, Boz Van Houten, Peter Hulseman, Alisa Kane, Jenny H Liu, Robert B Perkins, Darby P Scanlon, Ashley R. Streig, Ellen E Svadlenak, Matt W Uddenberg, Ray E Wells, Colin F. Williams
Northward migration of the Oregon forearc on the Gales Creek fault Northward migration of the Oregon forearc on the Gales Creek fault
The Gales Creek fault (GCF) is a 60-km-long, northwest-striking dextral fault system (west of Portland, Oregon) that accommodates northward motion and uplift of the Oregon Coast Range. New geologic mapping and geophysical models confirm inferred offsets from earlier geophysical surveys and document ∼12 km of right-lateral offset of a basement high in Eocene Siletz River Volcanics since...
Authors
Ray Wells, Richard J. Blakely, Sean Bemis
New geologic mapping of the northwestern Willamette Valley, Oregon, and its American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)—A foundation for understanding their terroir New geologic mapping of the northwestern Willamette Valley, Oregon, and its American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)—A foundation for understanding their terroir
A geologic map of the greater Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area is planned that will document the region’s complex geology (currently in review: “Geologic map of the greater Portland metropolitan area and surrounding region, Oregon and Washington,” by Wells, R.E., Haugerud, R.A., Niem, A., Niem, W., Ma, L., Evarts, R., Madin, I., and others). The map, which is planned to be published...
Authors
Ray E. Wells, Ralph A. Haugerud, Alan Niem, Wendy Niem, Lina Ma, Ian Madin, Russell C. Evarts
Holocene earthquakes of magnitude 7 during westward escape of the Olympic Mountains, Washington Holocene earthquakes of magnitude 7 during westward escape of the Olympic Mountains, Washington
The Lake Creek–Boundary Creek fault, previously mapped in Miocene bedrock as an oblique thrust on the north flank of the Olympic Mountains, poses a significant earthquake hazard. Mapping using 2015 light detection and ranging (lidar) confirms 2004 lidar mapping of postglacial (≥14 km along a splay fault, the Sadie Creek fault, west of Lake Crescent. Scarp morphology suggests repeated...
Authors
Alan R. Nelson, Stephen Personius, Ray E. Wells, Elizabeth R. Schermer, Lee-Ann Bradley, Jason Buck, Nadine G. Reitman
Evidence for distributed clockwise rotation of the crust in the northwestern United States from fault geometries and focal mechanisms Evidence for distributed clockwise rotation of the crust in the northwestern United States from fault geometries and focal mechanisms
Paleomagnetic and GPS data indicate that Washington and Oregon have rotated clockwise for the past 16 Myr. Late Cenozoic and Quaternary fault geometries, seismicity lineaments, and focal mechanisms provide evidence that this rotation is accommodated by north directed thrusting and right-lateral strike-slip faulting in Washington, and SW to W directed normal faulting and right-lateral...
Authors
Thomas M. Brocher, Ray E. Wells, Andrew P. Lamb, Craig S. Weaver
Cascadia subduction tremor muted by crustal faults Cascadia subduction tremor muted by crustal faults
Deep, episodic slow slip on the Cascadia subduction megathrust of western North America is accompanied by low-frequency tremor in a zone of high fluid pressure between 30 and 40 km depth. Tremor density (tremor epicenters per square kilometer) varies along strike, and lower tremor density statistically correlates with upper plate faults that accommodate northward motion and rotation of...
Authors
Ray E. Wells, Richard J. Blakely, Aaron G. Wech, Patricia A. McCrory, Andrew Michael
By
Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Earthquake Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Subduction Zone Science
Science and Products
Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Cottage Grove to Woodburn, Oregon Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Cottage Grove to Woodburn, Oregon
The Interstate 5 highway (I-5) corridor, which stretches from Mexico to Canada, is both the main economic artery of the Pacific Northwest and home to the majority of Oregonians and Washingtonians. Accordingly, most regional utility and transportation systems have major components located within the I-5 corridor. For the purposes of this map, we refer to these essential systems as...
Field and laboratory data From an earthquake history study of scarps of the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault between the Elwha River and Siebert Creek, Clallam County, Washington Field and laboratory data From an earthquake history study of scarps of the Lake Creek-Boundary Creek fault between the Elwha River and Siebert Creek, Clallam County, Washington
Fault scarps recently discovered on Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM; also known as LiDAR) imagery show Holocene movement on the Lake Creek–Boundary Creek fault on the north flank of the Olympic Mountains of northwestern Washington State. Such recent movement suggests the fault is a potential source of large earthquakes. As part of the effort to assess seismic hazard in the Puget Sound...
Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, Washington Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific and Wahkiakum counties, Washington
The Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area is in southwestern Washington at the mouth of the Columbia River. The area encompasses several major estuaries and their adjacent highlands, which reach elevations of about 2,000 feet. Rainfall is abundant and produces heavy vegetation and deep weathering of the bedrock. Natural bedrock exposures are restricted to stream courses along larger...
Filter Total Items: 108
An integrated feasibility study of reservoir thermal energy storage in Portland, Oregon, USA An integrated feasibility study of reservoir thermal energy storage in Portland, Oregon, USA
In regions with long cold overcast winters and sunny summers, Deep Direct-Use (DDU) can be coupled with Reservoir Thermal Energy Storage (RTES) technology to take advantage of pre-existing subsurface permeability to save summer heat for later use during cold seasons. Many aquifers worldwide are underlain by permeable regions (reservoirs) containing brackish or saline groundwater that has...
Authors
John Bershaw, Erick R. Burns, Trenton T Cladouhos, Alison E Horst, Boz Van Houten, Peter Hulseman, Alisa Kane, Jenny H Liu, Robert B Perkins, Darby P Scanlon, Ashley R. Streig, Ellen E Svadlenak, Matt W Uddenberg, Ray E Wells, Colin F. Williams
Northward migration of the Oregon forearc on the Gales Creek fault Northward migration of the Oregon forearc on the Gales Creek fault
The Gales Creek fault (GCF) is a 60-km-long, northwest-striking dextral fault system (west of Portland, Oregon) that accommodates northward motion and uplift of the Oregon Coast Range. New geologic mapping and geophysical models confirm inferred offsets from earlier geophysical surveys and document ∼12 km of right-lateral offset of a basement high in Eocene Siletz River Volcanics since...
Authors
Ray Wells, Richard J. Blakely, Sean Bemis
New geologic mapping of the northwestern Willamette Valley, Oregon, and its American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)—A foundation for understanding their terroir New geologic mapping of the northwestern Willamette Valley, Oregon, and its American Viticultural Areas (AVAs)—A foundation for understanding their terroir
A geologic map of the greater Portland, Oregon, metropolitan area is planned that will document the region’s complex geology (currently in review: “Geologic map of the greater Portland metropolitan area and surrounding region, Oregon and Washington,” by Wells, R.E., Haugerud, R.A., Niem, A., Niem, W., Ma, L., Evarts, R., Madin, I., and others). The map, which is planned to be published...
Authors
Ray E. Wells, Ralph A. Haugerud, Alan Niem, Wendy Niem, Lina Ma, Ian Madin, Russell C. Evarts
Holocene earthquakes of magnitude 7 during westward escape of the Olympic Mountains, Washington Holocene earthquakes of magnitude 7 during westward escape of the Olympic Mountains, Washington
The Lake Creek–Boundary Creek fault, previously mapped in Miocene bedrock as an oblique thrust on the north flank of the Olympic Mountains, poses a significant earthquake hazard. Mapping using 2015 light detection and ranging (lidar) confirms 2004 lidar mapping of postglacial (≥14 km along a splay fault, the Sadie Creek fault, west of Lake Crescent. Scarp morphology suggests repeated...
Authors
Alan R. Nelson, Stephen Personius, Ray E. Wells, Elizabeth R. Schermer, Lee-Ann Bradley, Jason Buck, Nadine G. Reitman
Evidence for distributed clockwise rotation of the crust in the northwestern United States from fault geometries and focal mechanisms Evidence for distributed clockwise rotation of the crust in the northwestern United States from fault geometries and focal mechanisms
Paleomagnetic and GPS data indicate that Washington and Oregon have rotated clockwise for the past 16 Myr. Late Cenozoic and Quaternary fault geometries, seismicity lineaments, and focal mechanisms provide evidence that this rotation is accommodated by north directed thrusting and right-lateral strike-slip faulting in Washington, and SW to W directed normal faulting and right-lateral...
Authors
Thomas M. Brocher, Ray E. Wells, Andrew P. Lamb, Craig S. Weaver
Cascadia subduction tremor muted by crustal faults Cascadia subduction tremor muted by crustal faults
Deep, episodic slow slip on the Cascadia subduction megathrust of western North America is accompanied by low-frequency tremor in a zone of high fluid pressure between 30 and 40 km depth. Tremor density (tremor epicenters per square kilometer) varies along strike, and lower tremor density statistically correlates with upper plate faults that accommodate northward motion and rotation of...
Authors
Ray E. Wells, Richard J. Blakely, Aaron G. Wech, Patricia A. McCrory, Andrew Michael
By
Geology, Energy, and Minerals Mission Area, Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Earthquake Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Subduction Zone Science
*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