Scott E.K. Bennett, Ph.D.
Scott is a Research Geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. He works for the Pacific Northwest Geologic Mapping and Urban Hazards Project and the Lower Colorado River System Project in the GMEG Science Center. His research is focused on geologic mapping, structural geology, neotectonics, and geomorphology of these and other regions of western North America.
Scott Bennett is a Research geologist who combines geologic mapping, structural geology, basin analysis, and geochronology to investigate the timing and rates of crustal deformation. His interdisciplinary and collaborative research focuses on quantifying surface and crustal processes that yield insight into lithospheric-scale plate tectonic systems.
Scott studies the deformation and evolving landscape of continents, collecting data that allows him to reconstruct tectonic movements over a large range of temporal and spatial scales, from earthquakes to orogenies and from faults to plate boundaries. Scott has experience conducting research in the Cascadia subduction zone of the Pacific Northwest (USA and Canada), on both margins of the Gulf of California oblique rift, along the San Andreas fault system, within the Walker Lane, and across the Basin and Range including the Rio Grande Rift.
Professional Experience
Research Geologist -- Tectonics and Geologic Mapping -- USGS Menlo Park, CA; 2017-present
Research Geologist -- Tectonics, Paleoseismology, and Geologic Mapping -- USGS Seattle, WA; 2015-2017
Mendenhall Post-doc -- Paleoseismology and Earthquake Hazards -- USGS Golden, CO; 2013-2015
Graduate Student Researcher -- Tectonics, Neotectonics, and Geologic Mapping
Education and Certifications
Ph.D., Geology, University of California, Davis; 2013
M.S., Geological Sciences, University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill; 2009
B.S., Geological Sciences, California State University, Northridge; 2004
Minor in Geography, California State University, Northridge; 2004
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 25
Neotectonic and paleoseismic analysis of the northwest extent of Holocene surface deformation along the Meers Fault, Oklahoma
TheMeers fault (Oklahoma) is one of fewseismogenic structures with evidence for Holocene
surface rupture in the stable continental region of North America. The 37-kilometer-long
southeast section of the full 54-kilometer-long Meers fault is interpreted to be Holocene
active. The 17-kilometer-long northwest section is considered Quaternary active, but not
Holocene active.We reevaluate surface expre
Authors
Kristofer T. Hornsby, Ashley R. Streig, S. Bennett, Jefferson C. Chang, Shannon A. Mahan
Mesozoic to Cenozoic sedimentation, tectonics, and metallogeny of Sonora, Mexico
We will embark on a five-day journey through northern, western, and central
Sonora, in which we will see excellent examples of mostly Mesozoic to Cenozoic tectonics,
sedimentation, and metallogeny. On Day 1, we will visit the porphyry copper
deposit at Ajo, Arizona, and several Pleistocene cinder cones and maar craters in
the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve. On Day 2, we will see L- and L-S tectonites
Authors
Jason Price, Thierry Calmus, S. Bennett, Lucas Ochoa-Landín
Paleoseismic results from the Alpine site, Wasatch fault zone: Timing and displacement data for six holocene earthquakes at the Salt Lake City–Provo segment boundary
To improve the characterization of Holocene earthquakes on the Wasatch fault zone (WFZ), we conducted light detection and ranging (lidar)‐based neotectonic mapping and excavated a paleoseismic trench across an 8‐m‐high fault scarp near Alpine, Utah, located <1 km<1 km south of the boundary between the Salt Lake City and Provo segments (SLCS and PS). We document evidence for six paleoearthquakes
Authors
Scott E. K. Bennett, Christopher DuRoss, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Stephen Personius, Nadine G. Reitman, Joshua Devore, Adam Hiscock, Shannon A. Mahan, Harrison J. Gray, Sydney Gunnarson, William J. Stephenson, Elizabeth Pettinger, Jackson K. Odum
Holocene surface rupture history of an active forearc fault redefines seismic hazard in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada
Characterizing the hazard associated with Quaternary‐active faults in the forearc crust of the northern Cascadia subduction zone has proven challenging due to historically low rates of seismicity, late Quaternary glacial scouring, and dense vegetation that often obscures fault‐related geomorphic features. We couple lidar topography with paleoseismic trenching across the Leech River Fault on southe
Authors
K. D. Morell, C. Regalla, C. Amos, S. Bennett, L. Leonard, A. Graham, T. Reedy, V. Levson, A. Telka
Breaching of strike-slip faults and successive flooding of pull-apart basins to form the Gulf of California seaway from ca. 8–6 Ma
The geologic record of the formation of marine basins during continental rifting is uncommonly preserved. Using GIS-based paleotectonic maps, we show that marine basin formation in the Gulf of California–Salton trough oblique rift (Mexico and the United States) occurred in a stepwise manner as crustal thinning lowered elevations within the Gulf of California Shear Zone, and subsidence along strike
Authors
Paul J. Umhoefer, Michael H. Darin, Scott E. K. Bennett, Lisa A. Skinner, Rebecca J. Dorsey, Michael E. Oskin
Combining conflicting Bayesian models to develop paleoseismic records—An example from the Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah
Bayesian statistical analyses of paleoseismic data result in the probabilistic determination of earthquake times using geochronological data evaluated in the context of a stratigraphic model. However, a fundamental problem in paleoseismology is how to use the Bayesian approach to model sparse and/or conflicting geochronological datasets, such as those derived from sites exhibiting episodic sedimen
Authors
Christopher DuRoss, Scott E. K. Bennett, Richard W. Briggs, Stephen Personius, Ryan D. Gold, Nadine G. Reitman, Adam I. Hiscock, Shannon A. Mahan
Slip history of the La Cruz fault: Development of a late Miocene transformin response to increased rift obliquity in the northern Gulf of California
The Gulf of California rift has accommodated oblique divergence of the Pacific and North America plates in north-western México since Miocene time. Due to its infancy, its rifted margins preserve a rare onshore record of early continental break-up processes and an opportunity to investigate the role of rift obliquity in strain localization. We map rift-related structures and syn-tectonic basins on
Authors
Scott E. K. Bennett, Michael E. Oskin, Alexander Iriondo, Michael J. Kunk
Influence of the Eastern California Shear Zone on deposition of the Mio-Pliocene Bouse Formation: Insights from the Cibola area, Arizona
The Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) is a wide zone of late Cenozoic strike-slip faults and related diffuse deformation that currently accommodates ~20–25% of relative Pacific–North America plate motion in the lower Colorado River region (Fig. 1A; Dokka and Travis, 1990; Miller et al., 2001; Guest et al., 2007; Mahan et al., 2009). The ECSZ is kinematically linked southward to dextral faults i
Authors
Rebecca J. Dorsey, Brennan O'Connell, Mindy B. Homan, Scott E. K. Bennett
Animated tectonic reconstruction of the Lower Colorado River region: Implications for Late Miocene to Present deformation
Although the majority of late Miocene to present Pacific-North America plate boundary strain has been accommodated by faults of the San Andreas and Gulf of California systems, growing evidence of dextral shear east of the San Andreas Fault indicates that a component of plate boundary deformation occurred in the lower Colorado River (LoCR) region. Large-scale tectonic reconstructions across the Gul
Authors
Scott E. K. Bennett, Michael H. Darin, Rebecca J. Dorsey, Lisa A. Skinner, Paul J. Umhoefer, Michael E. Oskin
Assessing the geologic and climatic forcing of biodiversity and evolution surrounding the Gulf of California
For almost a century the Baja California peninsula (Peninsula), Gulf of California (Gulf), and broader Sonoran Desert region (figure 1) have drawn geologists and biologists alike to study its unique physical and evolutionary processes (e.g., Wittich 1920; Darton 1921; Nelson 1921; Johnston 1924; Beal 1948; Durham and Allison 1960). The challenge remains to untangle the long, intricate, and at time
Authors
Greer Dolby, Scott E. K. Bennett, Andres Lira-Noriega, Benjamin T. Wilder, Adrian Munguia-Vega
A microbial arsenic cycle in sediments of an acidic mine impoundment: Herman Pit, Clear Lake, California
The involvement of prokaryotes in the redox reactions of arsenic occurring between its +5 [arsenate; As(V)] and +3 [arsenite; As(III)] oxidation states has been well established. Most research to date has focused upon circum-neutral pH environments (e.g., freshwater or estuarine sediments) or arsenic-rich “extreme” environments like hot springs and soda lakes. In contrast, relatively little work h
Authors
Jodi S. Blum, Shelley McCann, S. Bennett, Laurence G. Miller, J. R. Stolz, B. Stoneburner, C. Saltikov, Ronald S. Oremland
Stratigraphy and structural development of the southwest Isla Tiburón marine basin: Implications for latest Miocene tectonic opening and flooding of the northern Gulf of California
Accurate information on the timing of earliest marine incursion into the Gulf of California (northwestern México) is critical for paleogeographic models and for understanding the spatial and temporal evolution of strain accommodation across the obliquely divergent Pacific-North America plate boundary. Marine strata exposed on southwest Isla Tiburón (SWIT) have been cited as evidence for a middle M
Authors
Scott E. K. Bennett, Michael Oskin, Rebecca Dorsey, Alexander Iriondo, Michael J. Kunk
Science and Products
- Publications
Filter Total Items: 25
Neotectonic and paleoseismic analysis of the northwest extent of Holocene surface deformation along the Meers Fault, Oklahoma
TheMeers fault (Oklahoma) is one of fewseismogenic structures with evidence for Holocene surface rupture in the stable continental region of North America. The 37-kilometer-long southeast section of the full 54-kilometer-long Meers fault is interpreted to be Holocene active. The 17-kilometer-long northwest section is considered Quaternary active, but not Holocene active.We reevaluate surface expreAuthorsKristofer T. Hornsby, Ashley R. Streig, S. Bennett, Jefferson C. Chang, Shannon A. MahanMesozoic to Cenozoic sedimentation, tectonics, and metallogeny of Sonora, Mexico
We will embark on a five-day journey through northern, western, and central Sonora, in which we will see excellent examples of mostly Mesozoic to Cenozoic tectonics, sedimentation, and metallogeny. On Day 1, we will visit the porphyry copper deposit at Ajo, Arizona, and several Pleistocene cinder cones and maar craters in the Pinacate Biosphere Reserve. On Day 2, we will see L- and L-S tectonitesAuthorsJason Price, Thierry Calmus, S. Bennett, Lucas Ochoa-LandínPaleoseismic results from the Alpine site, Wasatch fault zone: Timing and displacement data for six holocene earthquakes at the Salt Lake City–Provo segment boundary
To improve the characterization of Holocene earthquakes on the Wasatch fault zone (WFZ), we conducted light detection and ranging (lidar)‐based neotectonic mapping and excavated a paleoseismic trench across an 8‐m‐high fault scarp near Alpine, Utah, located <1 km<1 km south of the boundary between the Salt Lake City and Provo segments (SLCS and PS). We document evidence for six paleoearthquakesAuthorsScott E. K. Bennett, Christopher DuRoss, Ryan D. Gold, Richard W. Briggs, Stephen Personius, Nadine G. Reitman, Joshua Devore, Adam Hiscock, Shannon A. Mahan, Harrison J. Gray, Sydney Gunnarson, William J. Stephenson, Elizabeth Pettinger, Jackson K. OdumHolocene surface rupture history of an active forearc fault redefines seismic hazard in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada
Characterizing the hazard associated with Quaternary‐active faults in the forearc crust of the northern Cascadia subduction zone has proven challenging due to historically low rates of seismicity, late Quaternary glacial scouring, and dense vegetation that often obscures fault‐related geomorphic features. We couple lidar topography with paleoseismic trenching across the Leech River Fault on southeAuthorsK. D. Morell, C. Regalla, C. Amos, S. Bennett, L. Leonard, A. Graham, T. Reedy, V. Levson, A. TelkaBreaching of strike-slip faults and successive flooding of pull-apart basins to form the Gulf of California seaway from ca. 8–6 Ma
The geologic record of the formation of marine basins during continental rifting is uncommonly preserved. Using GIS-based paleotectonic maps, we show that marine basin formation in the Gulf of California–Salton trough oblique rift (Mexico and the United States) occurred in a stepwise manner as crustal thinning lowered elevations within the Gulf of California Shear Zone, and subsidence along strikeAuthorsPaul J. Umhoefer, Michael H. Darin, Scott E. K. Bennett, Lisa A. Skinner, Rebecca J. Dorsey, Michael E. OskinCombining conflicting Bayesian models to develop paleoseismic records—An example from the Wasatch Fault Zone, Utah
Bayesian statistical analyses of paleoseismic data result in the probabilistic determination of earthquake times using geochronological data evaluated in the context of a stratigraphic model. However, a fundamental problem in paleoseismology is how to use the Bayesian approach to model sparse and/or conflicting geochronological datasets, such as those derived from sites exhibiting episodic sedimenAuthorsChristopher DuRoss, Scott E. K. Bennett, Richard W. Briggs, Stephen Personius, Ryan D. Gold, Nadine G. Reitman, Adam I. Hiscock, Shannon A. MahanSlip history of the La Cruz fault: Development of a late Miocene transformin response to increased rift obliquity in the northern Gulf of California
The Gulf of California rift has accommodated oblique divergence of the Pacific and North America plates in north-western México since Miocene time. Due to its infancy, its rifted margins preserve a rare onshore record of early continental break-up processes and an opportunity to investigate the role of rift obliquity in strain localization. We map rift-related structures and syn-tectonic basins onAuthorsScott E. K. Bennett, Michael E. Oskin, Alexander Iriondo, Michael J. KunkInfluence of the Eastern California Shear Zone on deposition of the Mio-Pliocene Bouse Formation: Insights from the Cibola area, Arizona
The Eastern California Shear Zone (ECSZ) is a wide zone of late Cenozoic strike-slip faults and related diffuse deformation that currently accommodates ~20–25% of relative Pacific–North America plate motion in the lower Colorado River region (Fig. 1A; Dokka and Travis, 1990; Miller et al., 2001; Guest et al., 2007; Mahan et al., 2009). The ECSZ is kinematically linked southward to dextral faults iAuthorsRebecca J. Dorsey, Brennan O'Connell, Mindy B. Homan, Scott E. K. BennettAnimated tectonic reconstruction of the Lower Colorado River region: Implications for Late Miocene to Present deformation
Although the majority of late Miocene to present Pacific-North America plate boundary strain has been accommodated by faults of the San Andreas and Gulf of California systems, growing evidence of dextral shear east of the San Andreas Fault indicates that a component of plate boundary deformation occurred in the lower Colorado River (LoCR) region. Large-scale tectonic reconstructions across the GulAuthorsScott E. K. Bennett, Michael H. Darin, Rebecca J. Dorsey, Lisa A. Skinner, Paul J. Umhoefer, Michael E. OskinAssessing the geologic and climatic forcing of biodiversity and evolution surrounding the Gulf of California
For almost a century the Baja California peninsula (Peninsula), Gulf of California (Gulf), and broader Sonoran Desert region (figure 1) have drawn geologists and biologists alike to study its unique physical and evolutionary processes (e.g., Wittich 1920; Darton 1921; Nelson 1921; Johnston 1924; Beal 1948; Durham and Allison 1960). The challenge remains to untangle the long, intricate, and at timeAuthorsGreer Dolby, Scott E. K. Bennett, Andres Lira-Noriega, Benjamin T. Wilder, Adrian Munguia-VegaA microbial arsenic cycle in sediments of an acidic mine impoundment: Herman Pit, Clear Lake, California
The involvement of prokaryotes in the redox reactions of arsenic occurring between its +5 [arsenate; As(V)] and +3 [arsenite; As(III)] oxidation states has been well established. Most research to date has focused upon circum-neutral pH environments (e.g., freshwater or estuarine sediments) or arsenic-rich “extreme” environments like hot springs and soda lakes. In contrast, relatively little work hAuthorsJodi S. Blum, Shelley McCann, S. Bennett, Laurence G. Miller, J. R. Stolz, B. Stoneburner, C. Saltikov, Ronald S. OremlandStratigraphy and structural development of the southwest Isla Tiburón marine basin: Implications for latest Miocene tectonic opening and flooding of the northern Gulf of California
Accurate information on the timing of earliest marine incursion into the Gulf of California (northwestern México) is critical for paleogeographic models and for understanding the spatial and temporal evolution of strain accommodation across the obliquely divergent Pacific-North America plate boundary. Marine strata exposed on southwest Isla Tiburón (SWIT) have been cited as evidence for a middle MAuthorsScott E. K. Bennett, Michael Oskin, Rebecca Dorsey, Alexander Iriondo, Michael J. Kunk - Science
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