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Robert G Schmitt

Robert Schmitt provides GIS support for the Geologic Hazards Science Center.

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Tidal Inlet, Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska

Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
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Potential Landslide Paths and Implications for Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska – An Initial Investigation

Glacier Bay and its inlets are a popular destination for cruise ships and passenger boats; about 540,000 people visited Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve (GBNPP) in 2017. A typical tour of the Bay traverses the entire length up to the glacier calving viewpoints in the Johns Hopkins and Tarr Inlets. A 2018 article “Landslides and Giant Waves” by the National Park Service (NPS) states, “The...
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USGS science for a changing world logo

Integrating Disparate Spatial Datasets from Local to National Scale for Open-Access Web-Based Visualization and Analysis: A Case Study Compiling U.S. Landslide Inventories

Spatial data on landslide occurrence across the U.S. varies greatly in quality, accessibility, and extent. This problem of data variability is common across USGS Mission Areas; it presents an obstacle to developing national-scale products and to identifying areas with relatively good/bad data coverage. We compiled available data of known landslides into a national-scale, searchable online map, whi
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Community for Data Integration (CDI)
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Integrating Disparate Spatial Datasets from Local to National Scale for Open-Access Web-Based Visualization and Analysis: A Case Study Compiling U.S. Landslide Inventories

Spatial data on landslide occurrence across the U.S. varies greatly in quality, accessibility, and extent. This problem of data variability is common across USGS Mission Areas; it presents an obstacle to developing national-scale products and to identifying areas with relatively good/bad data coverage. We compiled available data of known landslides into a national-scale, searchable online map, whi
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USGS science for a changing world logo

An Interactive Web-based Application for Earthquake-triggered Ground Failure Inventories

Inventories of landslides and liquefaction triggered by major earthquakes are key research tools that can be used to develop and test hazard models. To eliminate redundant effort, we created a centralized and interactive repository of ground failure inventories that currently hosts 32 inventories generated by USGS and non-USGS authors and designed a pipeline for adding more as they become availabl
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Community for Data Integration (CDI)
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An Interactive Web-based Application for Earthquake-triggered Ground Failure Inventories

Inventories of landslides and liquefaction triggered by major earthquakes are key research tools that can be used to develop and test hazard models. To eliminate redundant effort, we created a centralized and interactive repository of ground failure inventories that currently hosts 32 inventories generated by USGS and non-USGS authors and designed a pipeline for adding more as they become availabl
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Rapid Response Landslide Inventory for the 14 August 2021 M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, Earthquake

We present a preliminary point inventory of the landslides associated with the M7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake that occurred on August 14, 2021. The mapping was part of rapid response efforts to identify hazards for situational awareness and emergency response by humanitarian aid organizations. This inventory accompanies an Open-File Report detailing the hazards presented by the landslides triggere
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Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Field reconnaissance of ground failure triggered by shaking during the 2018 M7.1 Anchorage, Alaska, earthquake

These data present geolocated photographs, GPS tracks, and field-mapped ground failures collected during the USGS reconnaissance of ground failures following the 2018 M7.1 Anchorage Earthquake.
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Earthquake Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Supplemental Appropriations for Disaster Recovery Activities

Map of landslide structures and kinematic elements at Barry Arm, Alaska in the summer of 2020

Two active landslides at and near the retreating front of Barry Glacier at the head of Barry Arm Fjord in southern Alaska (Figure 1) could generate tsunamis if they failed rapidly and entered the water of the fjord. Landslide A, at the front of the glacier, is the largest, with a total volume estimated at 455 M m3 (Dai et al, 2020). Historical photographs from Barry Arm indicate that Landslide A
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Field observations of ground failure triggered by the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence

This dataset consists of over 800 field observations of ground failure (landslides, lateral spreading, and liquefaction) and other damage triggered by the 2019-2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence. The sequence started with a M4.7 earthquake on 28 December 2019, followed by many more earthquakes, including 15 larger than M5 (as of 7 July 2020). The M6.4 mainshock, which is thought to have triggere
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Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, National Cooperative Geologic Mapping Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Field observations of ground failure triggered by the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence Web Application

Interactive web application displaying the the field observations resulting from the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Inventory of landslides triggered by the 2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence

Here we present an inventory of remotely and field-observed landslides triggered by 2019-2020 Puerto Rico earthquake sequence. The inventory was mapped using pre- and post-event satellite imagery (PR_landslide_inventory_imagery.csv), an extensive collection of field observations (https://doi.org/10.5066/P96QNFMB) and using pre-earthquake lidar as guidance for mapping polygons with more precise loc
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Inventory map of submarine and subaerial-to-submarine landslides in Glacier Bay, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Mass-wasting events that displace water, whether they initiate from underwater sources (submarine landslides) or subaerial sources (subaerial-to-submarine landslides), have the potential to cause tsunami waves that can pose a significant threat to human life and infrastructure in coastal areas (for example towns, cruise ships, bridges, oil platforms, and communication lines). Sheltered inlets and
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Web Application for Viewing Earthquake- Triggered Ground-Failure Inventories

The web application is hosted through the U.S. Geological Survey's ArcGIS Online account. It provides users the opportunity to browse availible ground-failure datasets on a global scale. The user has multiple tools to aid in the acquisition of available datasets.
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Earthquake Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

An Open Repository of Earthquake-Triggered Ground-Failure Inventories

Earthquake-triggered ground-failure, such as landsliding and liquefaction, can contribute significantly to losses, but our current ability to accurately include them in earthquake hazard analyses is limited. The development of robust and transportable models requires access to numerous inventories of ground failure triggered by earthquakes that span a broad range of terrains, shaking characteristi
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Map of landslides triggered by the January 12, 2010, Haiti earthquake

The magnitude (M) 7.0 Haiti earthquake of January 12, 2010, triggered landslides throughout much of Haiti on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. The epicenter of the quake was located at 18.44°N., 72.57°W. at a depth of 13 kilometers (km) approximately 25 km southwest of the capital, Port-au-Prince. Although estimates vary widely, the most reliable surveys of casualties indicate that th
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Ground failure triggered by the 7 January 2020 M6.4 Puerto Rico earthquake

The 7 January 2020 M 6.4 Puerto Rico earthquake, the mainshock of an extended earthquake sequence, triggered significant ground failure. In this study, we detail the ground failure that occurred based largely on a postearthquake field reconnaissance campaign that we conducted. We documented more than 300 landslides, mainly rock falls that were concentrated in areas where peak ground acceleration (
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Kate E. Allstadt, Eric M. Thompson, Desireé Bayouth García, Edwin Irizarry Brugman, K. Stephen Hughes, Robert G. Schmitt
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Landslides triggered by the August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake

The August 14, 2021, magnitude 7.2 Nippes, Haiti, earthquake triggered thousands of landslides on the Tiburon Peninsula. The landslides directly caused fatalities and damage and impeded response efforts by blocking roads and causing other infrastructure damage. Adverse effects of the landslides likely will continue for months to years. This report presents an assessment of potential postearthquake
Authors
Sabrina N. Martinez, Kate E. Allstadt, Stephen L. Slaughter, Robert G. Schmitt, Elaine Collins, Lauren N. Schaefer, Sonia Ellison
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, International Programs

Landslides across the United States: Occurrence, susceptibility, and data limitations

Detailed information about landslide occurrence is the foundation for advancing process understanding, susceptibility mapping, and risk reduction. Despite the recent revolution in digital elevation data and remote sensing technologies, landslide mapping remains resource intensive. Consequently, a modern, comprehensive map of landslide occurrence across the United States (USA) has not been compiled
Authors
Benjamin B. Mirus, Eric S. Jones, Rex L. Baum, Jonathan W. Godt, Stephen L. Slaughter, Matthew Crawford, Jeremy T. Lancaster, Thomas Stanley, Dalia Kirschbaum, William J. Burns, Robert G. Schmitt, Kassandra O Lindsey, Kevin McCoy
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Wildland Fire Science

An initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the West Arm of Glacier Bay, Alaska and implications for tsunami hazards

Tsunamis generated by landslides in Glacier Bay are uncommon, but have potential to be extraordinarily destructive when they occur. This article identifies areas that are susceptible to landslides that could generate tsunamis and discusses approaches to characterize hazard and risk from these events.
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Jeffrey A. Coe, Robert G. Schmitt, Erin Bessette-Kirton
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center, Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center

An open repository of earthquake-triggered ground-failure inventories

Earthquake-triggered ground failure, such as landsliding and liquefaction, can contribute significantly to losses, but our current ability to accurately include them in earthquake-hazard analyses is limited. The development of robust and widely applicable models requires access to numerous inventories of ground failures triggered by earthquakes that span a broad range of terrains, shaking characte
Authors
Robert G. Schmitt, Hakan Tanyas, M. Anna Nowicki Jessee, Jing Zhu, Katherine M. Biegel, Kate E. Allstadt, Randall W. Jibson, Eric M. Thompson, Cees J. van Westen, Hiroshi P. Sato, David J. Wald, Jonathan W. Godt, Tolga Gorum, Chong Xu, Ellen M. Rathje, Keith L. Knudsen
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Community for Data Integration (CDI), Geologic Hazards Science Center

Presentation and analysis of a worldwide database of earthquake-induced landslide inventories

Earthquake-induced landslide (EQIL) inventories are essential tools to extend our knowledge of the relationship between earthquakes and the landslides they can trigger. Regrettably, such inventories are difficult to generate and therefore scarce, and the available ones differ in terms of their quality and level of completeness. Moreover, access to existing EQIL inventories is currently difficult b
Authors
Hakan Tanyas, Cees J. van Westen, Kate E. Allstadt, M. Anna Nowicki Jessee, Tolga Gorum, Randall W. Jibson, Jonathan W. Godt, Hiroshi P. Sato, Robert G. Schmitt, Odin Marc, Niels Hovius
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Seismic site characterization of an urban dedimentary basin, Livermore Valley, California: Site tesponse, basin-edge-induced surface waves, and 3D simulations

Thirty‐two accelerometers were deployed in the Livermore Valley, California, for approximately one year to study sedimentary basin effects. Many local and near‐regional earthquakes were recorded, including the 24 August 2014 Mw 6.0 Napa, California, earthquake. The resulting ground‐motion data set is used to quantify the seismic response of the Livermore basin, a major structural depression in the
Authors
Stephen H. Hartzell, Alena L. Leeds, Leonardo Ramirez-Guzman, James P. Allen, Robert G. Schmitt
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Rock-avalanche dynamics revealed by large-scale field mapping and seismic signals at a highly mobile avalanche in the West Salt Creek valley, western Colorado

On 25 May 2014, a rain-on-snow–induced rock avalanche occurred in the West Salt Creek valley on the northern flank of Grand Mesa in western Colorado (United States). The avalanche mobilized from a preexisting rock slide in the Green River Formation and traveled 4.6 km down the confined valley, killing three people. The avalanche was rare for the contiguous United States because of its large size (
Authors
Jeffrey A. Coe, Rex L. Baum, Kate E. Allstadt, Bernard Kochevar, Robert G. Schmitt, Matthew L. Morgan, Jonathan L. White, Benjamin T. Stratton, Timothy A. Hayashi, Jason W. Kean
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center

Relation of landslides triggered by the Kiholo Bay earthquake to modeled ground motion

The 2006 Kiholo Bay, Hawaii, earthquake triggered high concentrations of rock falls and slides in the steep canyons of the Kohala Mountains along the north coast of Hawaii. Within these mountains and canyons a complex distribution of landslides was triggered by the earthquake shaking. In parts of the area, landslides were preferentially located on east‐facing slopes, whereas in other parts of the
Authors
Edwin L. Harp, Stephen H. Hartzell, Randall W. Jibson, L. Ramirez-Guzman, Robert G. Schmitt
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Natural Hazards Mission Area, Earthquake Hazards Program, Landslide Hazards Program, Geologic Hazards Science Center
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Potential Landslides and Tsunami Hazards in Glacier Bay, Alaska

USGS landslide scientists recently completed an investigation that provides an initial assessment of areas where landslides could enter the water of...

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