Richard Blakely
Richard is a Scientist Emeritus with the Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center. He focuses on the application of gravity, magnetic, and other geophysical methods to address a variety of earth science issues in the Western United States.
After graduation from Stanford, he served as Assistant Professor in the School of Oceanography at OSU. He joined the USGS in 1975, becoming Senior Scientist six years before retiring from the USGS in 2016. As an Emeritus Research Geophysicist, Richard uses potential-field (gravity and magnetic) and other geophysical methods to help address national earth science issues in the Western United States. His recent research focuses on mapping and characterizing hazardous faults in the Cascadia subduction zone, assessing mineral resources in the Basin and Range, and estimating ground-water resources of the arid southwest US.
Professional Experience
2016-present, Research Geophysicist Emeritus, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA
2010-2016, Senior Scientist, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA
1975-2010, Research Geophysicist, U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA
2005-2006, Chief, Geophysical Unit of Menlo Park (GUMP), U.S. Geological Survey
1990-1993, Adjunct Professor, School of Oceanography, Oregon State University
1988-1991, Chief, Crustal Dynamics Section, Branch of Geophysics, U.S. Geological Survey
1978-1979, 1986-1987, Consulting Professor, Department of Geophysics, Stanford University
1973-1975, Assistant Professor, School of Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1972-1973, Research Associate, School of Oceanography, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR
1972, Research Associate, Stanford University
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geophysics, Stanford University, 1972
M.S., Geophysics, Stanford University, 1971
B.S., General Science, Oregon State University, 1968
Affiliations and Memberships*
USGS Innovation Center Advisory Group (ICAG), 2016-present
CSIRO (Australia) Deep Earth Imaging Advisory Panel, 2016-2020
President and President-Elect, Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Section, AGU, 2008-2012
AGU Council, 2008-2012
Assoc. Editor, Journal of Geophysical Research, 1987-1990
Assoc. Editor, Reviews of Geophysics and Space Physics, 1985-1988
Assoc. Editor, U.S. National Report (GP Section) to the IUGG, 1985-1987
Honors and Awards
Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2003
Fellow, Geological Society of America, 1987
Meritorious Service Award, Dept. of Interior, 1994
Shoemaker Award for Communications Product Excellence
Science and Products
Pacific Northwest Geologic Mapping: Northern Pacific Border, Cascades and Columbia
The Pacific Northwest is an area created by active and complex geological processes. On its path to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River slices through a chain of active volcanoes located along the western margin of the U.S. in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These volcanoes rest above the active Cascadia subduction zone, which is the boundary where the oceanic tectonic plate dives...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Packwood, Washington, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude aeromagnetic survey flown over a part of the Cascade Range of the US Pacific Northwest, approximately centered over the town of Packwood, Washington. The Packwood magnetic survey surrounds but does not include the edifice of Mount Rainier, the highest (4392 m; 14,410 ft) volcano of the conterminous United States. Data were acquired...
High-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Republic Graben, Okanogan and Kettle metamorphic core complexes, Kootenay Arc and surrounding regions, Northeastern Washington
The Republic survey consists of high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric data designed to image the subsurface geology and structure of a large portion of northeastern Washington. These data are intended for rigorous modeling and interpretation of the geology and structure in this region and will be used to evaluate the potential for undiscovered resources and will contribute to USGS...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude aeromagnetic survey flown over a part of the Cascade Range of the US Pacific Northwest, approximately centered over the town of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The Cascade Locks magnetic survey encompasses two large stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Range: Mt. Hood (3426 m) in Oregon and Mt. Adams (3742 m) in Washington. Data were acquired between...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Cle Elum Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington centered approximately 22 km west-southwest of Ellensburg. The survey includes the cities of Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and Yakima and is referred to as the Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey. The Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia Plateau westward to the eastern Cascade...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, an area centered about 100 km north of Memphis, Tennessee. The survey covers parts of the southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone, the northwestern margin of the Reelfoot rift, the Blytheville arch, and the Commerce geophysical lineament (reference: Langenheim, V...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Pendleton, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over a part of northeastern Oregon, an area centered approximately over the city of La Grande. The survey is underlain by pre-Tertiary intrusive and metamorphic rocks exposed in the Wallowa Mountains and southern Blue Mountains, and basalts of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group exposed or shallowly buried...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Greater Spokane Area, Washington and Idaho
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of eastern Washington and northwestern Idaho centered approximately at Spokane, Washington, and referred to as the Spokane aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the cities of Spokane and Cheney, numerous smaller communities, and Fairchild Air Force Base. Magnetic anomalies reflect Miocene rocks of the...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Wenatchee Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington, an area that includes the city of Wenatchee and the towns of Entiat, Chelan, and Leavenworth. The Wenatchee aeromagnetic survey extends westward from the Columbia Plateau to the Cascade Range, and covers a part of the Columbia River and Lake Chelan. The survey was conducted between...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Hanford Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of south-central Washington centered approximately 30 km east of Yakima and referred to as the Hanford aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the city of Richland, numerous smaller communities, and the Hanford Site (https://www.hanford.gov). The Hanford aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Centralia Area, Southwest Washington
The data in this release originate from a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of the Centralia and Chehalis area of southwestern Washington. The survey was conducted between September 22 and October 22, 2015, by Eon Geosciences, Inc, working under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey. The covered region extends from the Cascade Range in the east to Willapa Bay in the west, and includes...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Skykomish Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of north-central Washington. The survey is centered approximately 120 km northwest of Yakima and includes the small town of Skykomish. The Skykomish aeromagnetic survey covers a part of the central Cascade Range of Washington, the western portion of the Jurassic ophiolitic Ingalls tectonic complex, and the...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Pasco Area, Washington and Oregon
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. The survey extends from the Blue Mountains westward to the Cascade Range and covers the Oregon cities of The Dalles, Hermiston, and Milton Freewater and the Washington cities of Richland, Pasco, Kennewick, and Walla Walla. Data were acquired during the...
Filter Total Items: 20
A tunnel runs through it — An inside view of the Tualatin Mountains, Oregon
The Tualatin Mountains form a northwest-striking ridge about 350 m high that separates Portland, Oregon, from the cities of the Tualatin Valley to the west. Known informally as the Portland Hills, the ridge is a late Cenozoic anticline, bounded by reverse faults that dip toward the anticlinal axis. The anticline is a broad, open fold consisting chiefly of Miocene Columbia River Basalt...
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...
Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Woodburn, Oregon, to Centralia, Washington
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...
Geologic map of the Hidden Hills Ranch Quadrangle, Clark County, Nevada
The prominent structural feature in the Pahrump Valley is the right-lateral Pahrump-Stewart Valley fault system (PSV) (Anderson and others, 1995b), which is the central segment of the State Line fault system as defined by Blakely and others (1998). The main trace of this fault system, as shown in figure 1A, strikes northwest along the California-Nevada state line through Pahrump and...
Geologic map of the Mound Spring quadrangle, Nye and Clark Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California
The Mound Spring quadrangle, the southwestern-most 7.5' quadrangle of the area of the Las Vegas 1:100,000-scale quadrangle, is entirely within the Pahrump Valley, spanning the Nevada/California State line. New geologic mapping of the predominantly Quaternary materials is combined with new studies of gravity and geochronology in this quadrangle. Eleven predominantly fine-grained units are...
Map showing depth to pre-Cenozoic basement in the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
A depth to basement map of the Death Valley groundwater model area was prepared using over 40,0000 gravity stations as part of an interagency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Energy to help characterize the geology and hydrology of southwest Nevada and parts of California.
Aeromagnetic map of the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
No abstract available.
Isostatic gravity map of the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
An isostatic gravity map of the Death Valley groundwater model area was prepared from over 40,0000 gravity stations as part of an interagency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Energy to help characterize the geology and hydrology of southwest Nevada and parts of California.
Interpretive geologic cross sections for the Death Valley regional flow system and surrounding areas, Nevada and California
This report presents a network of 28 geologic cross sections that portray subsurface geologic relations within the Death Valley regional ground-water system, a ground-water basin that encompasses a 3? x 3? area (approximately 70,000 km2) in southern Nevada and eastern California. The cross sections transect that part of the southern Great Basin that includes Death Valley, the Nevada Test...
Maps showing aeromagnetic data and interpretation of the Medford 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, Oregon-California
These maps are part of a folio of maps of the Medford 1o x 2o quadrangle, Oregon, prepared under the Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program. Other publications in this folio discuss the geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and mineral assessment of the Medford 1o x 2o quadrangle and are listed in the references at the end of this report. The distinctive magnetic properties...
Filter Total Items: 119
Deep structure of Siletzia in the Puget Lowland: Imaging an obducted plateau and accretionary thrust belt with potential fields
Detailed understanding of crustal components and tectonic history of forearcs is important due to their geological complexity and high seismic hazard. The principal component of the Cascadia forearc is Siletzia, a composite basaltic terrane of oceanic origin. Much is known about the lithology and age of the province. However, glacial sediments blanketing the Puget Lowland obscure its...
Authors
Megan L. Anderson, Richard J. Blakely, Ray Wells, Joseph D. Dragovich
Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is the Columbia River’s long-held yet evolving passage through the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range. The globally unique setting of a continental-scale river bisecting an active volcanic arc at the leading edge of a major plate boundary creates a remarkable setting where dynamic volcanic and tectonic processes interact with diverse and energetic fluvial...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Ray Wells, Scott E.K. Bennett, Charles M. Cannon, Lydia M. Staisch, James L Anderson, Anthony Francis Pivarunas, Gabriel Wells Gordon, Richard J. Blakely, Mark E. Stelten, Russell C. Evarts
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
Geothermal potential of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon: Evidence from detailed geophysical investigations
Recent geologic and geophysical investigations were undertaken in northeastern Oregon to better assess earthquake hazards in the region and determine relative favorability for geothermal energy development on lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). This work was funded in part by a Bureau of Indian Affairs grant awarded to the CTUIR to identify areas...
Authors
Brent Ritzinger, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Jared R. Peacock, Richard J. Blakely, Patrick Mills, Lydia M. Staisch, Scott E.K. Bennett, Brian Sherrod
Descriptive models for epithermal gold-silver deposits
Epithermal gold-silver deposits are vein, stockwork, disseminated, and replacement deposits that are mined primarily for their gold and silver contents; some deposits also contain substantial resources of lead, zinc, copper, and (or) mercury. These deposits form in the uppermost parts of the crust, at depths less than about 1,500 meters below the water table, and at temperatures below...
Authors
David A. John, Peter G. Vikre, Edward A. du Bray, Richard J. Blakely, David L. Fey, Barnaby W. Rockwell, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Eric D. Anderson, Frederick Graybeal
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Central Energy Resources Science Center
Crustal structure and quaternary acceleration of deformation rates in central Washington revealed by stream profile inversion, potential field geophysics, and structural geology of the Yakima folds
Post‐Miocene tectonic uplift along fault‐cored anticlines within central Washington produced the Yakima Fold Province, a region of active NNE‐SSW shortening in the Cascadian backarc. The relative timing and rate of deformation along individual structures is coarsely defined yet imperative for seismic hazard assessment. In this work, we use geomorphic and geophysical mapping, stream...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Richard J. Blakely, Harvey Kelsey, Richard Styron, Brian Sherrod
Miocene−Pleistocene deformation of the Saddle Mountains: Implications for seismic hazard in central Washington, USA
The Yakima fold province, located in the backarc of the Cascadia subduction zone, is a region of active strain accumulation and deformation distributed across a series of fault-cored folds. The geodetic network in central Washington has been used to interpret large-scale N-S shortening and westward-increasing strain; however, geodetic data are unable to resolve shortening rates across...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Harvey Kelsey, Brian Sherrod, Andreas Möller, James B. Paces, Richard J. Blakely, Richard Styron
The story of a Yakima fold and how it informs Late Neogene and Quaternary backarc deformation in the Cascadia subduction zone, Manastash anticline, Washington, USA
The Yakima folds of central Washington, USA, are prominent anticlines that are the primary tectonic features of the backarc of the northern Cascadia subduction zone. What accounts for their topographic expression and how much strain do they accommodate and over what time period? We investigate Manastash anticline, a north vergent fault propagation fold typical of structures in the fold...
Authors
Harvey M. Kelsey, Tyler C. Ladinsky, Lydia M. Staisch, Brian Sherrod, Richard J. Blakely, Thomas Pratt, William Stephenson, Jackson K. Odum, Elmira Wan
Evaluating spatial and temporal relationships between an earthquake cluster near Entiat, central Washington, and the large December 1872 Entiat earthquake
We investigate spatial and temporal relations between an ongoing and prolific seismicity cluster in central Washington, near Entiat, and the 14 December 1872 Entiat earthquake, the largest historic crustal earthquake in Washington. A fault scarp produced by the 1872 earthquake lies within the Entiat cluster; the locations and areas of both the cluster and the estimated 1872 rupture...
Authors
Thomas M. Brocher, Richard J. Blakely, Brian Sherrod
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
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
Active faulting on the Wallula fault zone within the Olympic-Wallowa lineament, Washington State, USA
The Wallula fault zone is an integral feature of the Olympic-Wallowa lineament, an ∼500-km-long topographic lineament oblique to the Cascadia plate boundary, extending from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Walla Walla, Washington. The structure and past earthquake activity of the Wallula fault zone are important because of nearby infrastructure, and also because the fault zone...
Authors
Brian Sherrod, Richard J. Blakely, John P. Lasher, Andrew P. Lamb, Shannon A. Mahan, Franklin F. Foit, Elizabeth Barnett
Seismic imaging beneath an InSAR anomaly in eastern Washington State: Shallow faulting associated with an earthquake swarm in a low-hazard area
In 2001, a rare swarm of small, shallow earthquakes beneath the city of Spokane, Washington, caused ground shaking as well as audible booms over a five‐month period. Subsequent Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data analysis revealed an area of surface uplift in the vicinity of the earthquake swarm. To investigate the potential faults that may have caused both the...
Authors
William J. Stephenson, Jackson K. Odum, Charles W. Wicks, Thomas L. Pratt, Richard J. Blakely
Science and Products
Pacific Northwest Geologic Mapping: Northern Pacific Border, Cascades and Columbia
The Pacific Northwest is an area created by active and complex geological processes. On its path to the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River slices through a chain of active volcanoes located along the western margin of the U.S. in Washington, Oregon, and northern California. These volcanoes rest above the active Cascadia subduction zone, which is the boundary where the oceanic tectonic plate dives...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Packwood, Washington, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude aeromagnetic survey flown over a part of the Cascade Range of the US Pacific Northwest, approximately centered over the town of Packwood, Washington. The Packwood magnetic survey surrounds but does not include the edifice of Mount Rainier, the highest (4392 m; 14,410 ft) volcano of the conterminous United States. Data were acquired...
High-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey of the Republic Graben, Okanogan and Kettle metamorphic core complexes, Kootenay Arc and surrounding regions, Northeastern Washington
The Republic survey consists of high-resolution aeromagnetic and radiometric data designed to image the subsurface geology and structure of a large portion of northeastern Washington. These data are intended for rigorous modeling and interpretation of the geology and structure in this region and will be used to evaluate the potential for undiscovered resources and will contribute to USGS...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Cascade Locks, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude aeromagnetic survey flown over a part of the Cascade Range of the US Pacific Northwest, approximately centered over the town of Cascade Locks, Oregon. The Cascade Locks magnetic survey encompasses two large stratovolcanoes of the Cascade Range: Mt. Hood (3426 m) in Oregon and Mt. Adams (3742 m) in Washington. Data were acquired between...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Cle Elum Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington centered approximately 22 km west-southwest of Ellensburg. The survey includes the cities of Ellensburg, Cle Elum, and Yakima and is referred to as the Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey. The Cle Elum aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia Plateau westward to the eastern Cascade...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over the New Madrid Seismic Zone, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee, an area centered about 100 km north of Memphis, Tennessee. The survey covers parts of the southern arm of the New Madrid seismic zone, the northwestern margin of the Reelfoot rift, the Blytheville arch, and the Commerce geophysical lineament (reference: Langenheim, V...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey Over Pendleton, Oregon, and Surrounding Areas
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey over a part of northeastern Oregon, an area centered approximately over the city of La Grande. The survey is underlain by pre-Tertiary intrusive and metamorphic rocks exposed in the Wallowa Mountains and southern Blue Mountains, and basalts of the Miocene Columbia River Basalt Group exposed or shallowly buried...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Greater Spokane Area, Washington and Idaho
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of eastern Washington and northwestern Idaho centered approximately at Spokane, Washington, and referred to as the Spokane aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the cities of Spokane and Cheney, numerous smaller communities, and Fairchild Air Force Base. Magnetic anomalies reflect Miocene rocks of the...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Wenatchee Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of central Washington, an area that includes the city of Wenatchee and the towns of Entiat, Chelan, and Leavenworth. The Wenatchee aeromagnetic survey extends westward from the Columbia Plateau to the Cascade Range, and covers a part of the Columbia River and Lake Chelan. The survey was conducted between...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Hanford Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of south-central Washington centered approximately 30 km east of Yakima and referred to as the Hanford aeromagnetic survey. The survey includes the city of Richland, numerous smaller communities, and the Hanford Site (https://www.hanford.gov). The Hanford aeromagnetic survey extends from the Columbia...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Centralia Area, Southwest Washington
The data in this release originate from a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of the Centralia and Chehalis area of southwestern Washington. The survey was conducted between September 22 and October 22, 2015, by Eon Geosciences, Inc, working under contract to the U.S. Geological Survey. The covered region extends from the Cascade Range in the east to Willapa Bay in the west, and includes...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Skykomish Area, Washington
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of north-central Washington. The survey is centered approximately 120 km northwest of Yakima and includes the small town of Skykomish. The Skykomish aeromagnetic survey covers a part of the central Cascade Range of Washington, the western portion of the Jurassic ophiolitic Ingalls tectonic complex, and the...
High-Resolution Aeromagnetic Survey of the Pasco Area, Washington and Oregon
This data release provides access to a low-altitude, aeromagnetic survey of a part of south-central Washington and north-central Oregon. The survey extends from the Blue Mountains westward to the Cascade Range and covers the Oregon cities of The Dalles, Hermiston, and Milton Freewater and the Washington cities of Richland, Pasco, Kennewick, and Walla Walla. Data were acquired during the...
Filter Total Items: 20
A tunnel runs through it — An inside view of the Tualatin Mountains, Oregon
The Tualatin Mountains form a northwest-striking ridge about 350 m high that separates Portland, Oregon, from the cities of the Tualatin Valley to the west. Known informally as the Portland Hills, the ridge is a late Cenozoic anticline, bounded by reverse faults that dip toward the anticlinal axis. The anticline is a broad, open fold consisting chiefly of Miocene Columbia River Basalt...
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...
Earthquake hazards and lifelines in the Interstate 5 urban corridor: Woodburn, Oregon, to Centralia, Washington
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...
Geologic map of the Hidden Hills Ranch Quadrangle, Clark County, Nevada
The prominent structural feature in the Pahrump Valley is the right-lateral Pahrump-Stewart Valley fault system (PSV) (Anderson and others, 1995b), which is the central segment of the State Line fault system as defined by Blakely and others (1998). The main trace of this fault system, as shown in figure 1A, strikes northwest along the California-Nevada state line through Pahrump and...
Geologic map of the Mound Spring quadrangle, Nye and Clark Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California
The Mound Spring quadrangle, the southwestern-most 7.5' quadrangle of the area of the Las Vegas 1:100,000-scale quadrangle, is entirely within the Pahrump Valley, spanning the Nevada/California State line. New geologic mapping of the predominantly Quaternary materials is combined with new studies of gravity and geochronology in this quadrangle. Eleven predominantly fine-grained units are...
Map showing depth to pre-Cenozoic basement in the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
A depth to basement map of the Death Valley groundwater model area was prepared using over 40,0000 gravity stations as part of an interagency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Energy to help characterize the geology and hydrology of southwest Nevada and parts of California.
Aeromagnetic map of the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
No abstract available.
Isostatic gravity map of the Death Valley ground-water model area, Nevada and California
An isostatic gravity map of the Death Valley groundwater model area was prepared from over 40,0000 gravity stations as part of an interagency effort by the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Department of Energy to help characterize the geology and hydrology of southwest Nevada and parts of California.
Interpretive geologic cross sections for the Death Valley regional flow system and surrounding areas, Nevada and California
This report presents a network of 28 geologic cross sections that portray subsurface geologic relations within the Death Valley regional ground-water system, a ground-water basin that encompasses a 3? x 3? area (approximately 70,000 km2) in southern Nevada and eastern California. The cross sections transect that part of the southern Great Basin that includes Death Valley, the Nevada Test...
Maps showing aeromagnetic data and interpretation of the Medford 1 degree by 2 degrees Quadrangle, Oregon-California
These maps are part of a folio of maps of the Medford 1o x 2o quadrangle, Oregon, prepared under the Conterminous United States Mineral Assessment Program. Other publications in this folio discuss the geology, geophysics, geochemistry, and mineral assessment of the Medford 1o x 2o quadrangle and are listed in the references at the end of this report. The distinctive magnetic properties...
Filter Total Items: 119
Deep structure of Siletzia in the Puget Lowland: Imaging an obducted plateau and accretionary thrust belt with potential fields
Detailed understanding of crustal components and tectonic history of forearcs is important due to their geological complexity and high seismic hazard. The principal component of the Cascadia forearc is Siletzia, a composite basaltic terrane of oceanic origin. Much is known about the lithology and age of the province. However, glacial sediments blanketing the Puget Lowland obscure its...
Authors
Megan L. Anderson, Richard J. Blakely, Ray Wells, Joseph D. Dragovich
Arc versus river: The geology of the Columbia River Gorge
The Columbia River Gorge is the Columbia River’s long-held yet evolving passage through the volcanic arc of the Cascade Range. The globally unique setting of a continental-scale river bisecting an active volcanic arc at the leading edge of a major plate boundary creates a remarkable setting where dynamic volcanic and tectonic processes interact with diverse and energetic fluvial...
Authors
Jim E. O'Connor, Ray Wells, Scott E.K. Bennett, Charles M. Cannon, Lydia M. Staisch, James L Anderson, Anthony Francis Pivarunas, Gabriel Wells Gordon, Richard J. Blakely, Mark E. Stelten, Russell C. Evarts
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
Geothermal potential of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Oregon: Evidence from detailed geophysical investigations
Recent geologic and geophysical investigations were undertaken in northeastern Oregon to better assess earthquake hazards in the region and determine relative favorability for geothermal energy development on lands of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (CTUIR). This work was funded in part by a Bureau of Indian Affairs grant awarded to the CTUIR to identify areas...
Authors
Brent Ritzinger, Jonathan M.G. Glen, Jared R. Peacock, Richard J. Blakely, Patrick Mills, Lydia M. Staisch, Scott E.K. Bennett, Brian Sherrod
Descriptive models for epithermal gold-silver deposits
Epithermal gold-silver deposits are vein, stockwork, disseminated, and replacement deposits that are mined primarily for their gold and silver contents; some deposits also contain substantial resources of lead, zinc, copper, and (or) mercury. These deposits form in the uppermost parts of the crust, at depths less than about 1,500 meters below the water table, and at temperatures below...
Authors
David A. John, Peter G. Vikre, Edward A. du Bray, Richard J. Blakely, David L. Fey, Barnaby W. Rockwell, Jeffrey L. Mauk, Eric D. Anderson, Frederick Graybeal
By
Ecosystems Mission Area, Energy Resources Program, Mineral Resources Program, National Laboratories Program, Science and Decisions Center, Geology, Geophysics, and Geochemistry Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center, Western Fisheries Research Center, Central Energy Resources Science Center
Crustal structure and quaternary acceleration of deformation rates in central Washington revealed by stream profile inversion, potential field geophysics, and structural geology of the Yakima folds
Post‐Miocene tectonic uplift along fault‐cored anticlines within central Washington produced the Yakima Fold Province, a region of active NNE‐SSW shortening in the Cascadian backarc. The relative timing and rate of deformation along individual structures is coarsely defined yet imperative for seismic hazard assessment. In this work, we use geomorphic and geophysical mapping, stream...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Richard J. Blakely, Harvey Kelsey, Richard Styron, Brian Sherrod
Miocene−Pleistocene deformation of the Saddle Mountains: Implications for seismic hazard in central Washington, USA
The Yakima fold province, located in the backarc of the Cascadia subduction zone, is a region of active strain accumulation and deformation distributed across a series of fault-cored folds. The geodetic network in central Washington has been used to interpret large-scale N-S shortening and westward-increasing strain; however, geodetic data are unable to resolve shortening rates across...
Authors
Lydia M. Staisch, Harvey Kelsey, Brian Sherrod, Andreas Möller, James B. Paces, Richard J. Blakely, Richard Styron
The story of a Yakima fold and how it informs Late Neogene and Quaternary backarc deformation in the Cascadia subduction zone, Manastash anticline, Washington, USA
The Yakima folds of central Washington, USA, are prominent anticlines that are the primary tectonic features of the backarc of the northern Cascadia subduction zone. What accounts for their topographic expression and how much strain do they accommodate and over what time period? We investigate Manastash anticline, a north vergent fault propagation fold typical of structures in the fold...
Authors
Harvey M. Kelsey, Tyler C. Ladinsky, Lydia M. Staisch, Brian Sherrod, Richard J. Blakely, Thomas Pratt, William Stephenson, Jackson K. Odum, Elmira Wan
Evaluating spatial and temporal relationships between an earthquake cluster near Entiat, central Washington, and the large December 1872 Entiat earthquake
We investigate spatial and temporal relations between an ongoing and prolific seismicity cluster in central Washington, near Entiat, and the 14 December 1872 Entiat earthquake, the largest historic crustal earthquake in Washington. A fault scarp produced by the 1872 earthquake lies within the Entiat cluster; the locations and areas of both the cluster and the estimated 1872 rupture...
Authors
Thomas M. Brocher, Richard J. Blakely, Brian Sherrod
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
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
Active faulting on the Wallula fault zone within the Olympic-Wallowa lineament, Washington State, USA
The Wallula fault zone is an integral feature of the Olympic-Wallowa lineament, an ∼500-km-long topographic lineament oblique to the Cascadia plate boundary, extending from Vancouver Island, British Columbia, to Walla Walla, Washington. The structure and past earthquake activity of the Wallula fault zone are important because of nearby infrastructure, and also because the fault zone...
Authors
Brian Sherrod, Richard J. Blakely, John P. Lasher, Andrew P. Lamb, Shannon A. Mahan, Franklin F. Foit, Elizabeth Barnett
Seismic imaging beneath an InSAR anomaly in eastern Washington State: Shallow faulting associated with an earthquake swarm in a low-hazard area
In 2001, a rare swarm of small, shallow earthquakes beneath the city of Spokane, Washington, caused ground shaking as well as audible booms over a five‐month period. Subsequent Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data analysis revealed an area of surface uplift in the vicinity of the earthquake swarm. To investigate the potential faults that may have caused both the...
Authors
William J. Stephenson, Jackson K. Odum, Charles W. Wicks, Thomas L. Pratt, Richard J. Blakely
*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