CAREER: An Integrated Geologic, Geodetic, and Paleoseismic Study of Plate Boundary Stress Evolution and Geoscience Education Utilizing the EarthScope Database

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The project is focused on studying the relationship between stress evolution of the Pacific-North American plate boundary and the occurrence of major earthquakes in this region using time-dependent fault deformation models constrained by geologic, geodetic, and paleoseismic data. EarthScope is leading a large-scale community effort to understand the nature of earthquake hazards along the Pacific-North American plate boundary through a growing archive seismic and geodetic instruments. These instruments are now prepared to capture critical details of pending major seismic events, however a 3D synoptic picture of stress evolution spanning the full earthquake cycle requires sophisticated computer models, combined with improved paleoseismic chronologies. To investigate earthquake cycle stress evolution of the plate boundary, this project synthesizes several EarthScope data products with semi-analytic crustal deformation modeling techniques. These efforts include: (1) inclusion of community-defined fault locations and geometries, (2) integration of EarthScope InSAR and Plate Boundary Observatory GPS data, (3) analysis of new paleoseismic faulting histories, and (4) exploration of new fault model capabilities. A significant component of this proposed work also aims to develop K-16 educational tools and opportunities for both students and teachers, and to provide pertinent and accessible earthquake information to the general public. This portion of the project emphasizes (1) integration of visualization technologies, EarthScope Internet resources, and Earth science teaching modules for a masters-level Computers in Earth Science course for pre- and in-service K-12 teachers, (2) development of an EarthScope Active Earth kiosk display, highlighting this project's research results, local and regional EarthScope science, and Earth science career stories, and (3) participation of local high school students in the Pathways to the Geosciences summer camp, an ongoing educational program hosted by the University of Texas at El Paso. The fundamental earthquake science and outreach initiatives being explored by this project have substantial societal relevance, as time-dependent earthquake stress simulations will soon be poised to help mitigate seismic hazards and to transform the public's conception and appreciation of large-scale, temporally evolving Earth processes.