Rattling Alaska: AEIC gathers info on recent seismicity
The Alaska Earthquake Information Center, based at the Geophysical Institute at the Unviersity of Alaska Fairbanks, collects earthquake data from a network of more than 400 seismic sites. Their job is to not only collect event data, but analyze and archive it for the State of Alaska, other agencies and the general public.
Magnitude 3.01 quake rumbles central Alaska
Centered just 38 miles south/southeast of Kantishna, Alaska, a magnitude 3.01 earthquake rumbled on April 27, 2012. The earthquake occurred at 4:36 a.m. It was just one of four temblors that rocked the state of a magnitude 3 or greater on this date.
Magnitude 3.28 quake shakes Fairbanks April 11, 2012
The Interior rumbled early this morning with a sizeable quake. With an epicenter just 35 miles west of Fairbanks, a 3.83 earthquake occurred at 1:21 a.m. April 11, 2012. Since that initial temblor, a number of minor quakes continue to rattle the center of the state.
Iliamna Volcano: AVO increases alert level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow
The Alaska Volcano Observatory changed the Aviation Color Code of Iliamna Volcano to Yellow on Friday, March 9. Over the past three months the earthquake rate at the volcano has steadily increased and now exceeds normal background levels. Although it is not certain that this sustained increase in earthquake activity represents the movement of magma at depth, it is a significant change and AVO has increased the Alert Level to Advisory and the Aviation Color Code to Yellow.
The Alaska Science Forum: The giant waves of Lituya Bay
By nrozell [at] gi [dot] alaska [dot] edu (Ned Rozell)
One of the prettiest places in Southeast Alaska has felt some of nature’s most violent behavior.
Michael West
Dr. West works in the Seismology Lab and as part of the Alaska Volcano Observatory. His research is focused on observational seismology applications in tectonics, volcanoes and glaciers. A full description of his program can be found on his research pages.
- Research Associate Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (2011 - Present)
- Research Assistant Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks (2004 - 2011)
- Post-Doctoral Fellow, New Mexico State University (2001 - 2004)
- Gardine, M. and M. West (2011) Evidence of magma intrusion at Fourpeaked Volcano, Alaska in 2006-2007 from a rapid-response seismic network and volcanic gases, J. Volc. Geotherm. Res., 200, 192-200, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.11.018.
- Reyes, C.G. and M. E. West (2011) The Waveform Suite: A robust platform for manipulating waveforms in MATLAB. Seismo. Res. Lett., 82, 104-110.
- Gardine, M., M.E. West and T. Cox (2011) Dike emplacement near Parícutin volcano, Mexico in 2006, Bull. Volc., 73, 123,132, DOI: 10.1007/s00445-010-0437-9.
- Thompson, G. and M.E. West (2010) Real-time detection of earthquake swarms at Redoubt Volcano, 2009, Seismo. Res. Lett., 81, 505-513.
- West, M.E., C.F. Larsen, M. Truffer, S. O’Neel, and L. LeBlanc (2010) Glacier Microseismicity. Geology, 38, 319–322; doi: 10.1130/G30606.1.
- Nikulin, A., V. Levin, A. Shuler and M. West (2010) Anomalous seismic structure beneath the Klyuchevskoy group, Kamchatka, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L14311, doi:10.1029/2010GL043904.
- Buurman, H. and M.E. West (2010), Seismic precursors to volcanic explosions during the 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, chapter 2 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 41–57.
- van Manen, S., J. Dehn., M. West, S. Blake and D. Rothery (2010), The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano; combined analyses of thermal satellite data and reduced displacement, chapter 23 of Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., eds., The 2006 eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, p. 553–567.
- Thelen, W., M. West, S. Senyukov (2010) Seismic Characterization of Fall 2007 Eruptive Sequence at Bezymianny Volcano, Russia. J. Volc. Geotherm. Res. 194, 201-213, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2010.05.010.
- Thelen, W., S. Malone, M. West. (2010) Repose-time and cumulative moment magnitude: a new tool for forecasting eruptions? Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L18301, doi:10.1029/2010GL044194.
- Amundson, J. M., M. Truffer, M.P. Lüthi, M. Fahnestock, M. West and R.J. Motyka (2008), Glacier, fjord, and seismic response to recent large calving events, Jakobshavn Isbræ, Greenland. Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L22501, doi:10.1029/2008GL035281.
Carl Tape
Dr. Tape develops and applies techniques in computational and observational seismology to obtain better images of Earth's internal structure and to obtain better representations of earthquakes. Three-dimensional numerical simulations of the seismic wavefield form the foundation of computational seismology. These simulations produce synthetic seismograms and also volumetric sensitivities that are used within the imaging problem.
Jeffrey Freymueller
I have been at the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks since May 1995. I received a Bachelor of Science degree from the California Institute of Technology in 1985, and MS and PhD degrees from the University of South Carolina in 1988 and 1991 respectively. Following my PhD, I worked as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Stanford University for three and a half years. Working in Alaska has been a tremendous opportunity, because so much happens right here; it is a signal-rich environment.
- Professional Societies and Fellowships
- American Geophysical Union, 1986-present
- Geological Society of America, 1987-present
- Seismological Society of America, 1994-present
- Associate of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG), 1993-present
- Individual Member, International Association of Geodesy (IAG), 2003-present
- Individual Member, International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI), 2003-present
- Awards
- NASA Group Achievement Award, Development of OASIS/GIPSY Global Positioning System Analysis Software, 1992
- Terris and Katrina Moore Prize for best research paper or accomplishment, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2000
- College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Award for Outstanding Graduate Student Mentoring and Advising, 2005
- (2004 – Present) Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- (1999 – 2004) Associate Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute and Department of Geological Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks
- (1995 – 1999) Assistant Research Professor of Geophysics, Geophysical Institute
- (1991 – 1995) Postdoctoral Research Associate, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
- (1987 – 1991) Graduate Student, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
- (1986 – 1991) Member of the Technical Staff, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA
- (1985 – 1986) Graduate Student, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI
- Understanding Active Earth Processes
- Understanding and Improving the tools we use to measure Active Earth Processes
- Active Crustal Deformation Processes
- Kinetics and Dynamics of Active Processes that shape the Earth
- Sato, T., S. Miura, W. Sun, T. Sugano, J. T. Freymueller, C. F. Larsen, Y. Ohta, H. Fujimoto, D. Inazu, and R. J. Motyka (2012), Gravity and uplift rates observed in southeast Alaska and their comparison with GIA model predictions, J. Geophys. Res., 117, B01401, doi:10.1029/2011JB008485. 2012.
- Sato, T., C. F. Larsen, S. Miura, Y. Ohta, H. Fujimoto, W. Sun, R. J. Motyka, J. T. Freymueller (2011), Reevaluation of the viscosity of upper mantle beneath Southeast Alaska, Tectonophysics, 511, 79-88, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2010.05.009.
- Grapenthin, R., and J. T. Freymueller (2011), The dynamics of a seismic wave field: Animation and analysis of kinematic GPS data recorded during the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, Japan, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L18308, doi:10.1029/2011GL048405.
- Freymueller, J. T., GPS – Tectonic Geodesy, in Encyclopedia of Solid Earth Geophysics, H. Gupta, ed., Springer-Verlag, 2011.
- Wang, Q., X. Qiao Xuejun, Q. Lan, J. T. Freymueller, S. Yang, C. Xu, Y. Yang, X. You, K. Tan, and Q. Shen, The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake: Rupture of deep faults in the 2008 Wenquan earthquake and uplift of the Longmen Shan, Nature Geoscience, doi: 10.1038/ngeo1210, 2011.
- Kogan, M. G., N. F. Vasilenko, D. I. Frolov, J. T. Freymueller, G. M. Steblov, B. W. Levin, and A. S. Prytkov (2011), The mechanism of postseismic deformation triggered by the 2006–2007 great Kuril earthquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., 38, L06304, doi:10.1029/2011GL046855.
- Freymueller, J. T., A new mechanical model for Tibet, Nature, 472, 48-49, 2011. (News and Views piece). 2011.
- Freymueller, J. T., Active Tectonics of Plate Boundary Zones, and the Continuity of Plate Boundary Deformation from Asia to North America, Current Science, 99, 1719-1732, 2010.
- Freymueller, J. T., and A. M. Kaufman, Changes in the Magma System During the 2008 Eruption of Okmok Volcano, Alaska, Based on GPS Measurements, J. Geophys. Res., 115, B12415, doi:10.129/2010JB007716, 2010.
- Cervelli, P., T. J. Fournier, J. T. Freymueller, J. A. Power, M. Lisowski, and B. A. Pauk, Geodetic Constraints on Magma Movement and Withdrawal During the 2006 Eruption of Augustine Volcano, in The 2006 Eruption of Augustine Volcano, Alaska, Power, J.A., Coombs, M.L., and Freymueller, J.T., editors, U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1769, 2010.
- Sun, W., S. Miura, T. Sato, T. Sugano, J. T. Freymueller, M. Kaufman, C. Larsen, R. Cross , and D. Inazu, Gravity measurements in southeastern Alaska reveal negative gravity rate of change caused by Glacial Isostatic Adjustment, J. Geophys. Res., 115, B12406, doi:10.1029/2009JB007194, 2010.
Douglas Christensen
Dr. Christensen's primary interests are in the field of earthquake seismology and earth structure problems using seismological methods.
- Memberships
- Seismological Society of America
- American Geophysical Union
- Awards
- William M. Dolan, 4 yr. Undergraduate Scholarship, Univ. of Utah, 1973-1977
- Terris and Katrina Moore Prize, 1990
- Associate Director of the Geophysical Institute, August 1999 (Current Position)
- Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1998 (Current Position)
- Associate Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1993-1998
- Assistant Professor, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1988-1992
- Project Director of 15 element seismic array in Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, (Seismological Observatory), Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 1980-1987
- Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 1977-1987
- Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Geological Sciences, University of Michigan, 1977-1980
- Cities Services, Data Processing, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Summer 1977
- Undergraduate Research Assistant, (Seismological Observatory), Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 1975-1977
- American Smelting and Refining, Exploration Department, Salt Lake City, Utah, Summer 1974
- Spatial and Temporal Variations of Intraplate Seismicity as related to Subduction Zone Dynamics
- Rupture Process, Asperity Distribution and Source Models for large and great earthquakes of Alaska and the World
- Tomography (3-D structure determination)
- Geophysical Inverse Theory
- Forward and Inverse Modeling of seismic waves
- Broadband Seismic Studies
- GPS and Geodetic Measurements as Related to Pre-,Co-, and Post Earthquake Deformation
- Field Studies
