Ray Wells
Ray Wells is a research geologist in the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He is a structural geologist investigating the tectonic and volcanic evolution of the Pacific Northwest.
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
Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries
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
Science and Products
Geosciences
Paleomagnetic rotations and the Cenozoic tectonics of the Cascade Arc, Washington, Oregon, and California
Mechanisms of Cenozoic tectonic rotation, Pacific Northwest Convergent Margin, U.S.A.
Preliminary map of fractures formed in the Summit Road-Skyland Ridge area during the Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of October 17, 1989
Origin of the oceanic basalt basement of the Solomon Islands arc and its relationship to the Ontong Java Plateau-insights from Cenozoic plate motion models
Correlation of Miocene flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group from the central Columbia River Plateau to the coast of Oregon and Washington
Paleomagnetism and tectonic rotation of the lower Miocene Peach Springs Tuff: Colorado Plateau, Arizona, to Barstow, California
The relative contribution of accretion, shear, and extension to Cenozoic tectonic rotation in the Pacific Northwest
Paleomagnetism of Middle Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Western Cascade Series, northern California
Paleomagnetism of the Tertiary Clarno Formation of central Oregon and its significance for the tectonic history of the Pacific Northwest
Book review: Methods of rock magnetism and palaeomagnetism
Paleomagnetism and geology of Eocene volcanic rocks of southwest Washington, implications for mechanisms of tectonic rotation
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
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Filter Total Items: 105
Geosciences
No abstract available.AuthorsRoger D. Borcherdt, N. C. Donovan, D. Eberhart-Phillips, A. Michael, Paul A. Reasenberg, L. Dietz, W. Ellsworth, Daniel J. Ponti, Ray E. Wells, R. A. Haugerud, M. M. Clark, N. T. HallPaleomagnetic rotations and the Cenozoic tectonics of the Cascade Arc, Washington, Oregon, and California
Paleomagnetic results from Cenozoic (62-12 Ma) volcanic rocks of the Cascade Arc and adjacent areas indicate that moderate to large clockwise rotations are an important component of the tectonic history of the arc, Two mechanisms of rotation are suggested. The progressive increase in rotation toward the coast in arc and forearc rocks results from distributed dextral shear, which is likely driven bAuthorsR. E. WellsMechanisms of Cenozoic tectonic rotation, Pacific Northwest Convergent Margin, U.S.A.
Large clockwise rotations (15–80°) are characteristic of Cenozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks along the convergent margin of the northwestern United States. Abundant paleomagnetic data from 62–12 m.y. old rocks in forearc, arc, and backarc regions show that rotation increases with age and with proximity to the coast. Paleomagnetic and structural studies both support dextral shear as a significaAuthorsRay E. WellsPreliminary map of fractures formed in the Summit Road-Skyland Ridge area during the Loma Prieta, California, earthquake of October 17, 1989
No abstract available.AuthorsR. E. Wells, D. J. Ponti, M. M. Clark, R.C. Bucknam, K. E. Budding, T. E. Fumal, D. S. Harwood, K. R. Lajoie, J. J. Lienkaemper, M. N. Machette, C. S. Prentice, D. P. SchwartzOrigin of the oceanic basalt basement of the Solomon Islands arc and its relationship to the Ontong Java Plateau-insights from Cenozoic plate motion models
Cenozoic global plate motion models based on a hotspot reference frame may provide a useful framework for analyzing the tectonic evolution of the Solomon Islands convergent margin. A postulated late Miocene collision of the Ontong Java Plateau (OJP) with a NE-facing arc is consistent with the predicted path of the OJP across the Pacific Basin and its Miocene arrival at the trench. Late-stage igneoAuthorsR. E. WellsCorrelation of Miocene flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group from the central Columbia River Plateau to the coast of Oregon and Washington
Nearly twenty flows of the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG) can be paleomagnetically and chemically correlated westward as far as 500 km from the Columbia Plateau in Washington, through the Columbia Gorge, to the Coast Range of Oregon and Washington. In the Coast Range near Cathlamet, Washington, the CRBG flow stratigraphy includes 10 flows of Grande Ronde Basalt (1 low-MgO R2 flow, 6 low-MgO N2AuthorsRay E. Wells, R. W. Simpson, R. D. Bentley, Melvin H. Beeson, Margaret T. Mangan, Thomas L. WrightPaleomagnetism and tectonic rotation of the lower Miocene Peach Springs Tuff: Colorado Plateau, Arizona, to Barstow, California
We have determined remanent magnetization directions of the lower Miocene Peach Springs Tuff at 41 localities in western Arizona and southeastern California. An unusual northeast and shallow magnetization direction confirms the proposed geologic correlation of isolated outcrops of the tuff from the Colorado Plateau to Barstow, California, a distance of 350 km. The Peach Springs Tuff was apparentlyAuthorsRay E. Wells, John W. HillhouseThe relative contribution of accretion, shear, and extension to Cenozoic tectonic rotation in the Pacific Northwest
Large Cenozoic clockwise rotations defined by paleomagnetic data are an established fact in the Pacific Northwest, and many tectonic models have been proposed to explain them, including (1) rotation of accreted oceanic microplates during docking, (2) dextral shear between North America and northward-moving oceanic plates to the west, and (3) microplate rotation in front of an expanding Basin and RAuthorsRay E. Wells, Paul L. HellerPaleomagnetism of Middle Tertiary volcanic rocks from the Western Cascade Series, northern California
The Western Cascade Series (WCS) is a 3.5‐km‐thick, crudely homoclinal (east dipping) calcalkaline volcanic sequence of mid‐Oligocene to early Miocene age that crops out near the southern tip of the Cascade Range in northern California. The mean direction of remanent magnetization in the WCS is D, 4.9°; I, 57.6° (N, 53; k, 14.4; α95, 5.3°). When compared to a reference direction for the North AmerAuthorsMyrl E. Beck, Russell F. Burmester, Douglas E. Craig, C. Sherman Grommé, Ray E. WellsPaleomagnetism of the Tertiary Clarno Formation of central Oregon and its significance for the tectonic history of the Pacific Northwest
The Clarno Formation, a mostly Eocene and partly early Oligocene sequence of andesitic lavas and volcaniclastic rocks, is the oldest Tertiary formation exposed in north central Oregon. Remanent magnetization directions at 46 sites in the lavas provide a paleomagnetic pole at 84°N, 278°E with a 95% confidence cone of 7°. Comparison of this pole with the North American reference pole for Eocene timeAuthorsC. Sherman Grommé, Myrl E. Beck, Ray E. Wells, David C. EngebretsonBook review: Methods of rock magnetism and palaeomagnetism
Book information: Methods of rock magnetism and palaeomagnetism — Techniques and instrumentation: D.W. Collinson. Chapman and Hall, London, 1983, xiv + 503 pp.AuthorsRay E. WellsPaleomagnetism and geology of Eocene volcanic rocks of southwest Washington, implications for mechanisms of tectonic rotation
Paleomagnetic and geologic investigations in Eocene volcanic rocks of the southwest Washington Coast Range demonstrate a close relationship between tectonic rotations and the local structural geology. The allochthonous middle Eocene submarine basalt basement of the Crescent Formation consists of several fault‐bounded structural domains up to 30 km across that are characterized by different amountsAuthorsRay E. Wells, Robert S. Coe - News
*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