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
Subsurface geometry and evolution of the Seattle fault zone and the Seattle Basin, Washington
Magnetostratigraphy, paleomagnetic correlation, and deformation of pleistocene deposits in the south central Puget Lowland, Washington
Location, structure, and seismicity of the Seattle fault zone, Washington: Evidence from aeromagnetic anomalies, geologic mapping, and seismic-reflection data
Active tectonics of the Devils Mountain Fault and related structures, northern Puget Lowland and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca region, Pacific Northwest
Upper crustal structure in Puget Lowland, Washington: Results from the 1998 Seismic Hazards Investigation in Puget Sound
Density model of the Cascadia subduction zone
A simple algorithm for sequentially incorporating gravity observations in seismic traveltime tomography
New aeromagnetic data reveal large strike-slip (?) faults in the Northern Willamette Valley, Oregon
Digital isostatic gravity map of the Nevada Test Site and vicinity, Nye, Lincoln, and Clark Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California
Summary of geophysical investigations of the Death Valley regional water-flow modeling project, Nevada and California
Aeromagnetic Survey of the Amargosa Desert, Nevada and California: A Tool for Understanding Near-Surface Geology and Hydrology
Puget Sound aeromagnetic maps and data
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
- Maps
Filter Total Items: 20
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 118
Subsurface geometry and evolution of the Seattle fault zone and the Seattle Basin, Washington
The Seattle fault, a large, seismically active, east-west-striking fault zone under Seattle, is the best-studied fault within the tectonically active Puget Lowland in western Washington, yet its subsurface geometry and evolution are not well constrained. We combine several analysis and modeling approaches to study the fault geometry and evolution, including depth-converted, deep-seismic-reflectionAuthorsUri S. ten Brink, P.C. Molzer, M. A. Fisher, R. J. Blakely, R.C. Bucknam, T. Parsons, R. S. Crosson, K. C. CreagerMagnetostratigraphy, paleomagnetic correlation, and deformation of pleistocene deposits in the south central Puget Lowland, Washington
Paleomagnetic results from Pleistocene sedimentary deposits in the central Puget Lowland indicate that the region has experienced widespread deformation within the last 780 kyr. Three oriented samples were collected from unaltered fine-grained sediments mostly at sea level to determine the magnetostratigraphy at 83 sites. Of these, 47 have normal, 18 have reversed, and 18 have transitional (8 locaAuthorsJ. T. Hagstrum, D. B. Booth, K. G. Troost, R. J. BlakelyLocation, structure, and seismicity of the Seattle fault zone, Washington: Evidence from aeromagnetic anomalies, geologic mapping, and seismic-reflection data
A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Puget Lowland shows details of the Seattle fault zone, an active but largely concealed east-trending zone of reverse faulting at the southern margin of the Seattle basin. Three elongate, east-trending magnetic anomalies are associated with north-dipping Tertiary strata exposed in the hanging wall; the magnetic anomalies indicate where these strata contiAuthorsR. J. Blakely, R. E. Wells, C. S. Weaver, S. Y. JohnsonActive tectonics of the Devils Mountain Fault and related structures, northern Puget Lowland and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca region, Pacific Northwest
Information from marine high-resolution and conventional seismic-reflection surveys, aeromagnetic mapping, coastal exposures of Pleistocene strata, and lithologic logs of water wells is used to assess the active tectonics of the northern Puget Lowland and eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca region of the Pacific Northwest. These data indicate that the Devils Mountain Fault and the newly recognized StraAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Shawn V. Dadisman, David C. Mosher, Richard J. Blakely, Jonathan R. ChildsUpper crustal structure in Puget Lowland, Washington: Results from the 1998 Seismic Hazards Investigation in Puget Sound
A new three-dimensional (3-D) model shows seismic velocities beneath the Puget Lowland to a depth of 11 km. The model is based on a tomographic inversion of nearly one million first-arrival travel times recorded during the 1998 Seismic Hazards Investigation in Puget Sound (SHIPS), allowing higher-resolution mapping of subsurface structures than previously possible. The model allows us to refine thAuthorsT. M. Brocher, T. Parsons, R. J. Blakely, N.I. Christensen, M. A. Fisher, R. E. Wells, Uri S. ten Brink, T. L. Pratt, R. S. Crosson, K. C. Creager, N. P. Symons, L.A. Preston, T. Van Wagoner, K.C. Miller, C.M. Snelson, A.M. Trehu, V. E. Langenheim, G.D. Spence, K. Ramachandran, R.A. Hyndman, D. C. Mosher, B.C. Zelt, C. S. WeaverDensity model of the Cascadia subduction zone
The main goal of this work is to construct self-consistent density models along two profiles crossing the northern and central Cascadia subduction zone that have been comprehensively studied on the basis of geological, geophysical, etc. data.AuthorsT.V. Romanyuk, Walter D. Mooney, R. J. BlakelyA simple algorithm for sequentially incorporating gravity observations in seismic traveltime tomography
The geologic structure of the Earth's upper crust can be revealed by modeling variation in seismic arrival times and in potential field measurements. We demonstrate a simple method for sequentially satisfying seismic traveltime and observed gravity residuals in an iterative 3-D inversion. The algorithm is portable to any seismic analysis method that uses a gridded representation of velocity structAuthorsT. Parsons, R. J. Blakely, T. M. BrocherNew aeromagnetic data reveal large strike-slip (?) faults in the Northern Willamette Valley, Oregon
High-resolution aeromagnetic data from the northern Willamette Valley, Oregon, reveal large, northwest-striking faults buried beneath Quaternary basin sediments. Several faults known from geologic mapping are well defined by the data and appear to extend far beyond their mapped surface traces. The Mount Angel fault, the likely source of the Richter magnitude (M1) 5.6 earthquake in 1993, is at leasAuthorsRichard J. Blakely, Ray Wells, T.L. Tolan, M.H. Beeson, A.M. Trehu, L.M. LibertyDigital isostatic gravity map of the Nevada Test Site and vicinity, Nye, Lincoln, and Clark Counties, Nevada, and Inyo County, California
An isostatic gravity map of the Nevada Test Site area was prepared from publicly available gravity data (Ponce, 1997) and from gravity data recently collected by the U.S. Geological Survey (Mankinen and others, 1999; Morin and Blakely, 1999). Gravity data were processed using standard gravity data reduction techniques. Southwest Nevada is characterized by gravity anomalies that reflect the distriAuthorsDavid A. Ponce, E. A. Mankinen, J. G. Davidson, R. L. Morin, R. J. BlakelySummary of geophysical investigations of the Death Valley regional water-flow modeling project, Nevada and California
This report summarizes geophysical investigations in the Amargosa Desert and surrounding areas conducted between 1997 and 2000 in support of the Death Valley Regional Water-Flow Modeling Project of the U.S. Geological Survey. These investigations used both gravity and aeromagnetic data to develop a regional-scale tectonic and lithologic model for the near-surface. Gravity data were inverted in ordAuthorsRichard J. Blakely, Victoria E. Langenheim, David A. PonceAeromagnetic Survey of the Amargosa Desert, Nevada and California: A Tool for Understanding Near-Surface Geology and Hydrology
A high-resolution aeromagnetic survey of the Amargosa Desert and surrounding areas provides insights into the buried geology of this structurally complex region. The survey covers an area of approximately 7,700 km2 (2,970 mi2), extending from Beatty, Nevada, to south of Shoshone, California, and includes parts of the Nevada Test Site and Death Valley National Park. Aeromagnetic flight lines were oAuthorsRichard J. Blakely, Victoria E. Langenheim, David A. Ponce, Gary L. DixonPuget Sound aeromagnetic maps and data
No abstract available.AuthorsRichard J. Blakely, Ray E. Wells, Craig S. Weaver - 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