A paleoseismicity-spy and desert geologist in Alaska

The SSA2014 annual meeting took place in Anchorage, Alaska from 29 April – 2 May. Currently the post-meeting excursion on the effects of the Great Alaska Earthquake of 1964 is taking place, and we placed our paleoseismicity-spy Gösta Hoffmann in the group. We hope that no one realizes that he’s a desert geologist and absolutely in the wrong place, but he promised to not wear his Teva sandals in order not be identified. Gösta is Associate Professor at the German University of Technology in Oman (GUtech) and works on coastal change and tsunamis, and particularly on tsunamis in the Arabian Sea. Here is his report from Alaska:

“On day 1 I encountered Grus Canadensis & Alces alces. Anchorage and countryside are slowly recovering from the winter. Spring is about to come and only some patches of snow and ice remain. Field trip started on Sunday 04.05. and we went from Anchorage to Girdwood. Main topic was the coseismic subsidence which is nicely evidenced by ghostforests along the coastline. Consequence of the Great Alaska Earthquake of March 27, 1964.”

No geology photos from the first day.

Looks like a proper geologist’s field trip now. We are jealous!

Day 3 – Resurrection Bay

Read more about Gösta’s research here

• Koster, B., Hoffmann, G., Grützner, C., Reicherter, K., 2014. Ground penetrating radar facies of inferred tsunami deposits on the shores of the Arabian Sea (Northern Indian Ocean). Marine Geology 351, 1 May 2014, 13–24, DOI: 10.1016/j.margeo.2014.03.002.
• Hoffmann, G., Rupprechter, M. & Mayerhofer, C. (2013): Review of the longterm coastal evolution of Oman – subsidence versus uplift. – Zeitschrift der deutschen Gesellschaft für Geowissenschaften. DOI: 10.1127/1860-1804/2013/0002
• Hoffmann, G., Rupprechter, M., Al Balushi, N., Grützner, C. & Reicherter, K. (accepted): The impact of the 1945 Makran tsunami along the coastlines of the Arabian Sea (Northern Indian Ocean) – a review. – Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie. DOI:10.1127/0372-8854/2013/S-00134
• Hoffmann, G., Reicherter, K., Wiatr, T., Grützner, C., Rausch, T. (2013): Block and boulder accumulations along the coastline between Fins and Sur (Sultanate of Oman): tsunamigenic remains? – Natural Hazards 65: 851-873. DOI 10.1007/s11069-012-0399-7.
• Hoffmann, G. & Reicherter, K. (2011): Soft-sediment deformation of Late Pleistocene sediments along the southwestern coast of the Baltic Sea (NE Germany). – International Journal of Earth Sciences. DOI: 10.1007/s00531-010-0633-z.

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