Active Tectonics and Earthquake Geology
Slip rates along faults, past and present, constitute the observational foundation for understanding the geodynamics of deforming lithosphere. We utilize a combination of observations of fault displacement from both field work and remote sensing with dating of geomorphic features and surficial deposits to reconstruct past slip along fault systems, ranging over scales from a single earthquake cycle to hundreds of thousands of years. These studies allow us to evaluate the growth and evolution of fault networks, the mechanics of fault slip, and the potential hazard associated with earthquakes. Ongoing and past research efforts are described below.
Active tectonics in eastern California
Mechanics of slip along low-angle normal faults
Temporal variations in slip along the Garlock Fault
Slip rates and paleoseismology of the Panamint Valley fault zone
Evaluating distributed strain across Owens Valley