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
Cenozoic plate motions and the volcano-tectonic evolution of western Oregon and Washington
Tertiary volcanic and intrusive rocks on the Oregon and Washington continental shelf
Paleomagnetic constraints on the interpretation of early Cenozoic Pacific Northwest paleogeography
Preliminary geologic map of the west half of the Vancouver (Wa.-Ore.) 1° x 2° quadrangle, Oregon
Post 12 m.y. rotation of southwest Washington
Geologic map of the eastern Willapa Hills, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties, Washington
Drake Peak — A structurally complex rhyolite center in southeastern Oregon
Geologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific County, Washington
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 105
Cenozoic plate motions and the volcano-tectonic evolution of western Oregon and Washington
A refined northeast Pacific plate-motion model provides a framework for analysis of the Tertiary volcanic and tectonic history of western Oregon and Washington. We examine three possible models for the origin of the allochthonous Paleocene and Eocene oceanic basalt basement of the Coast Range: (1) accretion to the continent of hot spot generated linear seamount chains; (2) accretion of thick oceanAuthorsRay Wells, David C. Engebretson, P. D. Snavely, R. S. CoeTertiary volcanic and intrusive rocks on the Oregon and Washington continental shelf
No abstract available.AuthorsParke Detweiler Snavely, Ray E. WellsPaleomagnetic constraints on the interpretation of early Cenozoic Pacific Northwest paleogeography
Widespread Cenozoic clockwise tectonic rotation in the Pacific Northwest is an established fact; however, the geologic reconstructions based on these rotations are the subject of continuing debate. Three basic mechanisms have been proposed to explain the rotations: (1) simple shear rotation of marginal terranes caught in the dextral shear couple between oceanic plates and North America; (2) rotatiAuthorsRay E. WellsPreliminary geologic map of the west half of the Vancouver (Wa.-Ore.) 1° x 2° quadrangle, Oregon
No abstract available.AuthorsRay E. Wells, A. R. Niem, N. S. MacLeod, P. D. Snavely, W. A. NiemPost 12 m.y. rotation of southwest Washington
Paleomagnetic field directions from the basalt of Pack Sack Lookout are compared to those from the Pomona Member of the Saddle Mountains Basalt of the Columbia River Basalt Group. The Pomona crops out over a wide region on the Columbia Plateau east of the Cascade Range, and the basalt of Pack Sack Lookout crops out well to the west of the Cascades about 30 to 60 km east of the Washington coast. OuAuthorsJames R. Magill, Ray E. Wells, Robert W. Simpson, Allan CoxGeologic map of the eastern Willapa Hills, Cowlitz, Lewis, Pacific, and Wahkiakum counties, Washington
No abstract available.AuthorsRay E. WellsDrake Peak — A structurally complex rhyolite center in southeastern Oregon
The Drake Peak volcanic center of middle Miocene age, located about 25 km northeast of Lakeview, Oreg., is a structurally complex eruptive center that resulted from several episodes of intrusion and extrusion of rhyolite. Two thousand meters of andesite and basalt flows, lahars, and volcaniclastic rocks of late Eocene age, and of basaltic andesite, tuff, and flood basalts of Eocene to middle MioceAuthorsRay WellsGeologic map of the Cape Disappointment-Naselle River area, Pacific County, Washington
No abstract available.AuthorsRay E. Wells - Science
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*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