Samuel Y Johnson
Seafloor Mapping - Geologic framework, hazards, and habitats
Sam Johnson is a Research Geologist in the U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center (PCMSC), an organization of about 100 research and support staff based in Santa Cruz and Menlo Park, CA. He served as PCMSC Center Director from 2003 to 2008. He currently designs, coordinates, and conducts research projects that focus on seafloor and benthic habitat mapping, coastal and marine geomorphology and geologic framework, coastal evolution, and coastal earthquake and tsunami hazards. He helped plan and is the USGS lead for the multi-agency California Seafloor Mapping Program. His present research is focused on active tectonics and hazards offshore central California (Santa Barbara Channel to Cape Mendocino).
Professional Experience
1982-1984 - Assistant Professor, Washington State University
1984 to 2003 - Research Geologist, USGS Energy and Earthquake Hazards Programs
2003 to 2008 - Center Director, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2008 to 2019 - Research Geologist, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
2019 to present - Research Geologist Emeritus, USGS Pacific Coastal and Marine Science Center
Education and Certifications
B.A. (1975) University of California, Santa Cruz (Earth Sciences)
M.S. (1978) University of Washington (Geological Sciences)
Ph.D. (1982) University of Washington Geological Sciences
Affiliations and Memberships*
Geological Society of America (Fellow)
American Geophysical Union
Society for Sedimentary Geology
Seismological Society of America
Honors and Awards
Department of Interior Distinguished Service Award (2019)
Science and Products
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Pigeon Point to Monterey, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Monterey, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Monterey Canyon and Vicinity, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Aptos, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Santa Cruz, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Scott Creek, California
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Pigeon Point, California
Shelf evolution along a transpressive transform margin, Santa Barbara Channel, California
The transtensional offshore portion of the northern San Andreas fault: Fault zone geometry, late Pleistocene to Holocene sediment deposition, shallow deformation patterns, and asymmetric basin growth
The California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program – Providing science and geospatial data for California's State Waters
High-resolution seismic-reflection data from offshore northern California — Bolinas to Sea Ranch
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Monterey, California
California State Waters Map Series — Monterey Canyon and vicinity, California
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Santa Cruz, California
California State Waters map series — Offshore of Aptos, California
California State Waters map series — Offshore of Pigeon Point, California
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Fort Ross, California
California State Waters map series — Offshore of Scott Creek, California
California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Bodega Head, California
Science and Products
- Science
- Data
Filter Total Items: 19
California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Pigeon Point to Monterey, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Pigeon Point to Monterey, California.California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Monterey, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Santa Cruz, California.California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Monterey Canyon and Vicinity, California
Data Catalog for California State Waters, Monterey Canyon and Vicinity, CaliforniaCalifornia State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Aptos, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Aptos, California.California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Santa Cruz, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Santa Cruz, California.California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Scott Creek, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Scott Creek, California.California State Waters Map Series Data Catalog--Offshore of Pigeon Point, California
Data catalog for California State Waters Map Series--Offshore of Pigeon Point, California. - Maps
- Multimedia
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 64
Shelf evolution along a transpressive transform margin, Santa Barbara Channel, California
High-resolution bathymetric and seismic reflection data provide new insights for understanding the post–Last Glacial Maximum (LGM, ca. 21 ka) evolution of the ∼120-km-long Santa Barbara shelf, located within a transpressive segment of the transform continental margin of western North America. The goal is to determine how rising sea level, sediment supply, and tectonics combine to control shelf geoAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Stephen Hartwell, Christopher C. Sorlien, Peter Dartnell, Andrew C. RitchieThe transtensional offshore portion of the northern San Andreas fault: Fault zone geometry, late Pleistocene to Holocene sediment deposition, shallow deformation patterns, and asymmetric basin growth
We mapped an ~120 km offshore portion of the northern San Andreas fault (SAF) between Point Arena and Point Delgada using closely spaced seismic reflection profiles (1605 km), high-resolution multibeam bathymetry (~1600 km2), and marine magnetic data. This new data set documents SAF location and continuity, associated tectonic geomorphology, shallow stratigraphy, and deformation. Variable deformatAuthorsJeffrey W. Beeson, Samuel Y. Johnson, Chris GoldfingerThe California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program – Providing science and geospatial data for California's State Waters
The California Seafloor and Coastal Mapping Program (CSCMP) is a collaborative effort to develop comprehensive bathymetric, geologic, and habitat maps and data for California's State Waters. CSCMP began in 2007 when the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) allocated funding for high-resolution bathymetric mapping, largely to suppoAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Guy R. Cochrane, Nadine E. Golden, Peter Dartnell, Stephen Hartwell, Susan A. Cochran, Janet WattHigh-resolution seismic-reflection data from offshore northern California — Bolinas to Sea Ranch
The U.S. Geological Survey collected high-resolution seismic-reflection data in September 2009, on survey S-8-09-NC, offshore of northern California between Bolinas and Sea Ranch.The survey area spans about 125 km of California’s coast and extends around Point Reyes. Data were collected aboard the U.S. Geological Survey R/V Parke Snavely. Cumulatively, ~1,150 km of seismic-reflection data were acqAuthorsRay W. Sliter, Samuel Y. Johnson, John L. Chin, Parker Allwardt, Jeffrey Beeson, Peter J. TriezenbergCalifornia State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Monterey, California
IntroductionIn 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpreAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, Stephen R. Hartwell, Guy R. Cochrane, Nadine E. Golden, Janet Watt, Clifton W. Davenport, Rikk G. Kvitek, Mercedes D. Erdey, Lisa M. Krigsman, Ray W. Sliter, Katherine L. MaierCalifornia State Waters Map Series — Monterey Canyon and vicinity, California
IntroductionIn 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpreAuthorsPeter Dartnell, Katherine L. Maier, Mercedes D. Erdey, Bryan E. Dieter, Nadine E. Golden, Samuel Y. Johnson, Stephen R. Hartwell, Guy R. Cochrane, Andrew C. Ritchie, David P. Finlayson, Rikk G. Kvitek, Ray W. Sliter, H. Gary Greene, Clifton W. Davenport, Charles A. Endris, Lisa M. KrigsmanCalifornia State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Santa Cruz, California
IntroductionIn 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visuAuthorsGuy R. Cochrane, Peter Dartnell, Samuel Y. Johnson, Mercedes D. Erdey, Nadine E. Golden, H. Gary Greene, Bryan E. Dieter, Stephen R. Hartwell, Andrew C. Ritchie, David P. Finlayson, Charles A. Endris, Janet Watt, Clifton W. Davenport, Ray W. Sliter, Katherine L. Maier, Lisa M. KrigsmanCalifornia State Waters map series — Offshore of Aptos, California
Introduction In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization ofAuthorsGuy R. Cochrane, Samuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Bryan E. Dieter, Nadine E. Golden, Stephen R. Hartwell, Andrew C. Ritchie, Rikk G. Kvitek, Katherine L. Maier, Charles A. Endris, Clifton W. Davenport, Janet Watt, Ray W. Sliter, David P. Finlayson, Lisa M. KrigsmanCalifornia State Waters map series — Offshore of Pigeon Point, California
Introduction In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpAuthorsGuy R. Cochrane, Janet Watt, Peter Dartnell, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Bryan E. Dieter, Nadine E. Golden, Samuel Y. Johnson, Charles A. Endris, Stephen R. Hartwell, Rikk G. Kvitek, Clifton W. Davenport, Lisa M. Krigsman, Andrew C. Ritchie, Ray W. Sliter, David P. Finlayson, Katherine L. MaierCalifornia State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Fort Ross, California
Introduction In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interprAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, Nadine E. Golden, Stephen R. Hartwell, Mercedes D. Erdey, H. Gary Greene, Guy R. Cochrane, Rikk G. Kvitek, Michael W. Manson, Charles A. Endris, Bryan E. Dieter, Janet Watt, Lisa M. Krigsman, Ray W. Sliter, Erik N. Lowe, John L. ChinCalifornia State Waters map series — Offshore of Scott Creek, California
Introduction In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interprAuthorsGuy R. Cochrane, Peter Dartnell, Samuel Y. Johnson, H. Gary Greene, Mercedes D. Erdey, Bryan E. Dieter, Nadine E. Golden, Charles A. Endris, Stephen R. Hartwell, Rikk G. Kvitek, Clifton W. Davenport, Janet Watt, Lisa M. Krigsman, Andrew C. Ritchie, Ray W. Sliter, David P. Finlayson, Katherine L. MaierCalifornia State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Bodega Head, California
Introduction In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interprAuthorsSamuel Y. Johnson, Peter Dartnell, Nadine E. Golden, Stephen R. Hartwell, Mercedes D. Erdey, H. Gary Greene, Guy R. Cochrane, Rikk G. Kvitek, Michael W. Manson, Charles A. Endris, Bryan E. Dieter, Janet Watt, Lisa M. Krigsman, Ray W. Sliter, Erik N. Lowe, John L. Chin - 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