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  • New papers on paleoseismology, tsunami, and active tectonics (Oct 2016)

    A lot of new papers have been published on paleoseismology, earthquake geology, active tectonics and tsunamis last month. We have research on slowly deforming regions, on the active tectonics of Mexico, New Zealand, Armenia, and Iran, new data from the Kumamoto earthquake, plus some marine/coastal paleoseismology and tsunami studies. Enjoy reading!

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  • PhD Position in Coastal Paleoseismology at University of Southern Mississippi

    Here’s an interesting opportunity in coastal paleoseismology:

    The Division of Marine Science at the University of Southern Mississippi (NASA Stennis Space Center location) invites applications for a four-year PhD position in coastal paleoseismology starting no later than August 2017.  This is an NSF funded project that aims to recover stratigraphic records of past earthquakes and tsunamis along the Hikurangi subduction margin, New Zealand.  The project is part of a wider study on Hikurangi margin geodynamics, and the student will have the opportunity to attend workshops where we aim to integrate coastal paleoseismology with a wide variety of other geological and geophysical datasets.  The ideal candidate will possess a skillset that includes: quantitative micropaleontology, paleoenvironmental reconstructions, sedimentology of coastal systems, and experience in adventurous fieldwork.  The candidate is required to have an MSc in geology, earth sciences, marine sciences, or a closely related discipline.

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  • New papers on paleoseismology, tsunami, and active tectonics (Sep 2016)

    Today’s paper round-up has lots of tsunami papers, including one on the use of DNA to decipher paleo-tsunami deposits. Also, we have some papers about Italy, even from the area of the 24 August Amatrice earthquake. Enjoy reading and please don’t hesitate to tell me which papers I’ve missed.

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  • Studying the earthquake geology of the Chilik-Chon Kemin Fault Zone in Kazakhstan

    The Chilik-Chon Kemin Fault Zone is a major left-lateral strike-slip fault zone in Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, just a few tens of kilometres east of Almaty and north of Lake Issyk Kul. It has seen one of the largest continental earthquakes ever recorded in 1889, with an estimated magnitude of ~M8.3. In July and August I had the chance to visit this fault zone for two weeks together with Angela Landgraf from Potsdam and Aidyn Mukambaev from the National Data Centre, thanks to a travel grant from COMET (thanks so much, COMET!) and with support from the EwF Project. We wanted to find out more details about the tectonic geomorphology of this fault zone and we wanted to study the slip rate and earthquake recurrence intervals. So we took our drone, shovels and picks and set off for a field trip into the mountainous wilderness. Since I will leave for another field trip to Kazakhstan (Dzhungarian Fault) tomorrow, I will leave you with some impressions from our field work and provide more information once the paper is published…
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  • New papers on paleoseismology and active tectonics (August 2016)

    It’s a busy summer for me with lots of field work going on, but there’s still time to read the latest papers on paleoseismology and earthquake geology. Here’s my latest paper round-up. No tsunami papers this time, I am sorry. Enjoy reading and as always, please don’t hesitate to tell me which papers I have missed.

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  • Some great photo collections from the PATA Days 2016 in Colorado

    My dear colleagues Neta Wechsler, Stefano Pucci, and Oxana Lunina took some amazing photos during the PATA Days in Crestone, Colorado. Even better, they allowed me to distribute the links to their collections:

    Do you also have some photos that you’d like to share? Please feel free to link to your album in the comments section or drop me a mail.

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  • Guest blog by Javier Escartín (IPGP) & Frédérique Leclerc (EOS): Studying coseismic deformation along submarine faults

    The geometry, length, and displacement of fault ruptures that breach the surface provide critical information on the behavior of faults during seismic events (coseismic deformation), and on their long-term behavior. The study of coseismic fault ruptures has concentrated almost exclusively along continental faults, while submarine studies have been scarce, and only a few provided quantitative constraints in parameters such as fault displacement (e.g., Tohoku Earthquake). In addition to represent more than two thirds of the Earth’s seismicity, submarine faults can also be associated with tsunamis, potentially increasing the seismic hazard that these structures pose.

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  • New papers on paleoseismology, tsunami, and active tectonics (July 2016)

    Today’s paper round-up is rather short. Maybe this is due to the start of the field work season and many editors being involved in field research, maybe it’s just holiday season. Maybe I’ve missed some papers because I have been in the field, too. However, there are some very interesting studies, especially concerning tsunamis. Enjoy reading and please tell me what I’ve missed in the comments.

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  • Open position: PostDoc on seismic hazard characterization & mitigation, Aix-en-Provence

    The CEREGE laboratory in Aix-en-Provence (France) look for a PostDoc in the field of seismic hazard and/or earthquake geology. The position is in the framework of the RISKMED OT MED funded project “ Natural risks in the Mediterranean: Hazard, vulnerability, perception and management”.

    Deadline for application is 4 July.

    Tasks:

    • Organisation and implementation of field surveys in Italy and Turkey in collaboration with local colleagues.
    • Review and compile existing data, and acquire new data to better understand the frequency and dynamics of large earthquakes in Central Italy and western Turkey through surface observations and paleoseismological reconstruction over a range of different temporal and spatial scales.
    • Convert all data into an open database.
    • Analyze and interpret all data with respect to existing scaling laws and in terms of seismic hazard.
    • Produce with social scientists engaged in the project (geographers and psychologists) comprehensible scientific information to public and territorial managers as the basis for recommended preparedness and mitigation actions.
    • Participate to a participatory process and to focus groups concerning risk mitigation strategies (science communication, risk communication, public outreach) in targeted areas.

    See the full details here.

  • Open position: Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Active Tectonics, Univ. Oxford

    The University of Oxford is looking for a PostDoc research assistant under the direction of Professor Richard Walker and Professor Philip England to work on active tectonics in China. The focus is on the Hexi corridor and the Qilian Shan of Gansu. Deadline for application is 15 July 2016.

    Tasks include:

    • Detailed mapping of palaeo-earthquake ruptures
    • Construction of slip distributions from individual earthquakes
    • Selection of sites for long-term slip-rate determination using field investigations, high-resolution satellite imagery and digital topography
    • Planning and carrying out fieldwork to verify remote-sensing observations, to collect samples for dating, and to excavate and interpret palaeo-seismic trenches

    See the full job description here.