Rufus D Catchings, PhD
Rufus Catchings is a seismologist working on
• Earthquake hazards
• Hydrogeology
• Regional imaging of resources
• Induced seismicity
Dr. Catchings’ scientific interests include seismic evaluation of the subsurface, particularly as it relates to earthquake and other hazards, groundwater and other resources, and tectonics. Catchings also develops seismic methodologies. He has conducted numerous studies and served as advisor for more than 60 local, state, federal, and international government agencies, and private organizations. He has served as research advisor for 15 M.S. and Ph.D. students. Catchings has more than 430 published works, including journal articles, reports, conference papers, and abstracts.
Dr. Catchings has been a Research Geophysicst at USGS since 1981. He served as Chief Scientist for the Earthquake Hazards Team, 2005–2008.
Awards
- Bromery Award, Geological Society of America, 2018
- Superior Service Award, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2000
- Special Act Award, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1990, 2006
- Fellow, Geological Society of America, 1997
Education
- Stanford University, PhD Geophysics, 1987
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS Geophysics, 1983
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Geophysics, 1980
- Appalachian State University, BS Geophysics, 1979
External Research Database
ResearchGate
Science and Products
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High-resolution seismic images and seismic velocities of the San Andreas fault zone at Burro Flats, Southern California High-resolution seismic images and seismic velocities of the San Andreas fault zone at Burro Flats, Southern California
To better understand the structure of the San Andreas fault (SAF) at Burro Flats in southern California, we acquired a three-dimensional combined set of seismic reflection and refraction profiles centered on the main active trace at Burro Flats. In this article, we discuss the variation in shallow-depth velocities along each seismic profile, with special emphasis on the 1500 m/sec P-wave...
Authors
C. C. Tsai, Rufus D. Catchings, Mark R. Goldman, Michael J. Rymer, P. Schnurle, H. W. Chen
Structure of the San Bernardino Basin along two seismic transects: Rialto-Colton Fault to the San Andreas Fault and along the I-215 Freeway (I-10 to SR30) Structure of the San Bernardino Basin along two seismic transects: Rialto-Colton Fault to the San Andreas Fault and along the I-215 Freeway (I-10 to SR30)
In this report, we present seismic data and acquisition parameters for two seismic profiles acquired in the San Bernardino, California area in May and October 2003. We refer to these seismic profiles as the San Bernardino Regional (SBR) and San Bernardino High-Resolution (SBHR) seismic profiles. We present both un-interpreted and interpreted seismic images so that the structure of the...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. J. Rymer, M. R. Goldman, G. Gandhok, C. E. Steedman
Near-surface location, geometry, and velocities of the Santa Monica Fault Zone, Los Angeles, California Near-surface location, geometry, and velocities of the Santa Monica Fault Zone, Los Angeles, California
High-resolution seismic-reflection and seismic-refraction imaging, combined with existing borehole, earthquake, and paleoseismic trenching data, suggest that the Santa Monica fault zone in Los Angeles consists of multiple strands from several kilometers depth to the near surface. We interpret our seismic data as showing two shallow-depth low-angle fault strands and multiple near-vertical...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman, D. Okaya, M. J. Rymer, G.W. Bawden
Anatomy of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure revealed by seismic imaging, Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA Anatomy of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure revealed by seismic imaging, Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA
A 30-km-long, radial seismic reflection and refraction survey completed across the northern part of the late Eocene Chesapeake Bay impact structure (CBIS) on the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA, confirms that the CBIS is a complex central-peak crater. We used a tomographic P wave velocity model and low-fold reflection images, constrained by data from two deep boreholes located on the...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, D.S. Powars, G. S. Gohn, J. Wright Horton, M. R. Goldman, J.A. Hole
Q for P waves in the sediments of the Virginia Coastal Plain Q for P waves in the sediments of the Virginia Coastal Plain
The seismic quality factor Q for P waves in Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments is estimated using data from the 2004 U.S. Geological Survey seismic survey in eastern Virginia. The estimates are based on spectral ratios derived from reflections and sediment-guided P waves in Late Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments within the annular trough of the Late Eocene Chesapeake Bay impact structure...
Authors
M.C. Chapman, J.N. Beale, R. D. Catchings
Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India
Three short (∼35 km) seismic-reflection profiles are presented from the region of the 2001 Mw = 7.7 Bhuj (western India) earthquake. These profiles image a 35–45-km-thick crust with strong, near-horizontal reflections at all depths. The thickness of the crust increases by 10 km over a distance of ∼50 km from the northern margin of the Gulf of Kutch to the earthquake epicenter...
Authors
Dipankar Sarkar, K. Sain, P.R. Reddy, Rufus D. Catchings, Walter D. Mooney
Non-USGS Publications**
Catchings, R.D., and Mooney, W.D., 1988, Crustal structure of the Columbia Plateau: Evidence for continental rifting: Journal of Geophysical Research , v. 93, p. 459–474, doi.org/10.1029/JB093iB01p00459.
Catchings, R., Jarchow, C., Holbrook, S., Benz, H., Hawman, R., Thompson, G., Mooney, W., Smith, R., Priestley, K., Cipar, J., Borcherdt, R., Whitman, D., Smithson, S., Walker, D., Johnson, R., Karl, J., Jefferson, T., Clement, B., Dietel, C., Wu, F., and Harder, S., 1988, The 1986 PASSCAL Basin and Range Lithospheric Seismic Experiment, Eos Trans. AGU, 69( 20), 593– 598, doi:10.1029/88EO00174.
Zucca, J.J., Fuis, G.S., Milkereit, B., Mooney, W.D., and Catchings, R.D., 1986, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 7859-7382, doi.org/10.1029/JB091iB07p07359.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 24
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 82
High-resolution seismic images and seismic velocities of the San Andreas fault zone at Burro Flats, Southern California High-resolution seismic images and seismic velocities of the San Andreas fault zone at Burro Flats, Southern California
To better understand the structure of the San Andreas fault (SAF) at Burro Flats in southern California, we acquired a three-dimensional combined set of seismic reflection and refraction profiles centered on the main active trace at Burro Flats. In this article, we discuss the variation in shallow-depth velocities along each seismic profile, with special emphasis on the 1500 m/sec P-wave...
Authors
C. C. Tsai, Rufus D. Catchings, Mark R. Goldman, Michael J. Rymer, P. Schnurle, H. W. Chen
Structure of the San Bernardino Basin along two seismic transects: Rialto-Colton Fault to the San Andreas Fault and along the I-215 Freeway (I-10 to SR30) Structure of the San Bernardino Basin along two seismic transects: Rialto-Colton Fault to the San Andreas Fault and along the I-215 Freeway (I-10 to SR30)
In this report, we present seismic data and acquisition parameters for two seismic profiles acquired in the San Bernardino, California area in May and October 2003. We refer to these seismic profiles as the San Bernardino Regional (SBR) and San Bernardino High-Resolution (SBHR) seismic profiles. We present both un-interpreted and interpreted seismic images so that the structure of the...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. J. Rymer, M. R. Goldman, G. Gandhok, C. E. Steedman
Near-surface location, geometry, and velocities of the Santa Monica Fault Zone, Los Angeles, California Near-surface location, geometry, and velocities of the Santa Monica Fault Zone, Los Angeles, California
High-resolution seismic-reflection and seismic-refraction imaging, combined with existing borehole, earthquake, and paleoseismic trenching data, suggest that the Santa Monica fault zone in Los Angeles consists of multiple strands from several kilometers depth to the near surface. We interpret our seismic data as showing two shallow-depth low-angle fault strands and multiple near-vertical...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman, D. Okaya, M. J. Rymer, G.W. Bawden
Anatomy of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure revealed by seismic imaging, Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA Anatomy of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure revealed by seismic imaging, Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA
A 30-km-long, radial seismic reflection and refraction survey completed across the northern part of the late Eocene Chesapeake Bay impact structure (CBIS) on the Delmarva Peninsula, Virginia, USA, confirms that the CBIS is a complex central-peak crater. We used a tomographic P wave velocity model and low-fold reflection images, constrained by data from two deep boreholes located on the...
Authors
R. D. Catchings, D.S. Powars, G. S. Gohn, J. Wright Horton, M. R. Goldman, J.A. Hole
Q for P waves in the sediments of the Virginia Coastal Plain Q for P waves in the sediments of the Virginia Coastal Plain
The seismic quality factor Q for P waves in Atlantic Coastal Plain sediments is estimated using data from the 2004 U.S. Geological Survey seismic survey in eastern Virginia. The estimates are based on spectral ratios derived from reflections and sediment-guided P waves in Late Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments within the annular trough of the Late Eocene Chesapeake Bay impact structure...
Authors
M.C. Chapman, J.N. Beale, R. D. Catchings
Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India
Three short (∼35 km) seismic-reflection profiles are presented from the region of the 2001 Mw = 7.7 Bhuj (western India) earthquake. These profiles image a 35–45-km-thick crust with strong, near-horizontal reflections at all depths. The thickness of the crust increases by 10 km over a distance of ∼50 km from the northern margin of the Gulf of Kutch to the earthquake epicenter...
Authors
Dipankar Sarkar, K. Sain, P.R. Reddy, Rufus D. Catchings, Walter D. Mooney
Non-USGS Publications**
Catchings, R.D., and Mooney, W.D., 1988, Crustal structure of the Columbia Plateau: Evidence for continental rifting: Journal of Geophysical Research , v. 93, p. 459–474, doi.org/10.1029/JB093iB01p00459.
Catchings, R., Jarchow, C., Holbrook, S., Benz, H., Hawman, R., Thompson, G., Mooney, W., Smith, R., Priestley, K., Cipar, J., Borcherdt, R., Whitman, D., Smithson, S., Walker, D., Johnson, R., Karl, J., Jefferson, T., Clement, B., Dietel, C., Wu, F., and Harder, S., 1988, The 1986 PASSCAL Basin and Range Lithospheric Seismic Experiment, Eos Trans. AGU, 69( 20), 593– 598, doi:10.1029/88EO00174.
Zucca, J.J., Fuis, G.S., Milkereit, B., Mooney, W.D., and Catchings, R.D., 1986, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 7859-7382, doi.org/10.1029/JB091iB07p07359.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.