USGS scientists Beth Haddon (left) and Jaime Delano (right) measuring an offset road at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
Christopher B DuRoss
As an earthquake geologist, I investigate geologic evidence of active faulting, with an emphasis on normal-faulting regions of the Western U.S. My research is focused on field-based mapping and paleoseismic trenching investigations, Quaternary geochronology and geomorphology, syntheses of complex paleoseismic datasets, the characterization of active faults for probabilistic seismic-hazard analysis, and post-earthquake investigations to collect ephemeral field data. The goal of this research is to quantify seismic hazard in the U.S. and reduce earthquake risk.
Primary research interests:
- Paleoseismology and earthquake geology
- Quaternary geochronology and Bayesian modeling
- Tectonic geomorphology and geologic mapping
- Remote sensing and image-based (structure-from-motion) modeling
- Earthquake probability and hazard modeling
Areas of active research:
- Teton fault (Wyoming): Developing new paleoseismic (fault-trench) data to refine estimates of earthquake timing, displacement, rupture length, and magnitude.
Wasatch fault zone (Utah): Synthesizing existing paleoseismic data to develop objective contstraints on prehistoric earthquake rupture length. - Lost River fault zone (Idaho): Comparing prehistoric and historic (M6.9 Borah Peak earthquake) rupture timing, displacement, and geometry.
- 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence (California): Evaluating along-strike displacement profile for the M7.1 rupture.
Publications
DuRoss, C. B., M. S. Zellman, G. D. Thackray, R. W. Briggs, R. D. Gold, and S. A. Mahan (2020). Holocene Paleoseismology of the Steamboat Mountain Site: Evidence for Full‐Length Rupture of the Teton Fault, Wyoming, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, doi: https://doi.org/10.1785/0120200212
DuRoss, C. B., R. D. Gold, T. E. Dawson, K. M. Scharer, K. J. Kendrick, S. O. Akciz, S. J. Angster, J. Bachhuber, S. Bacon, S. E. K. Bennett, et al. (2020). Surface Displacement Distributions for the July 2019 Ridgecrest, California, Earthquake Ruptures, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 110(4), 1400–1418, https://doi.org/10.1785/0120200058.
DuRoss, C. B., R. D. Gold, T. E. Dawson, K. M. Scharer, K. J. Kendrick, S. O. Akciz, S. J. Angster, J. Bachhuber, S. Bacon, S. E. K. Bennett, et al., 2020, Surface Displacement Observations of the 2019 Ridgecrest, California Earthquake Sequence: U.S. Geological Survey data release, https://doi.org/10.5066/P986ILE2.
Valentini, A., DuRoss, C.B., Field, E.H., Gold, R.D., Briggs, R.W., Visini, F., and Pace, B., 2019, Relaxing segmentation on the Wasatch fault zone: Impact on seismic hazard: Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America. https://doi.org
Science and Products
External Grants - Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides support for research that will assist in achieving the goals of the Earthquake Hazards Program. The goal is to mitigate earthquake losses that can occur in many parts of the nation by providing earth science data and assessments essential for land-use planning, engineering design, and emergency preparedness decisions.
Geologic Cracks Record Earthquakes on the Reelfoot Fault in Central U.S.
Release Date: APRIL 25, 2019 New high-resolution lidar data reveals cracks produced from strong shaking in past earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone.
New Methods for Dating and Sequencing Ancient Earthquakes Along the Wasatch Fault Zone
Release Date: OCTOBER 12, 2018 Complex geologic sites, like those between the fault segments along the Wasatch fault zone in Utah, make the dating and ordering past earthquakes a difficult task. Two new methods were used to make this task easier and to get better results.
Untangling Faults at Depth – What Lies Beneath Panamint Valley, California?
Release Date: APRIL 30, 2018 The eastern edge of Panamint Valley,CA has two types of faults that can be seen in the near-surface geology. 150 geophones and a seismic source will help reveal the subsurface picture.
How Big and How Frequent Are Earthquakes on the Wasatch Fault?
Release Date: FEBRUARY 1, 2015 Paleoseismology along the Wasatch Fault in Utah is helping to estimate the shaking risk to nearby towns.
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientists Beth Haddon (left) and Jaime Delano (right) measuring an offset road at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientist Jessie Thompson Jobe measures fault offset at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
USGS scientist Jessie Thompson Jobe measures fault offset at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientist Jaime Delano, observes a sand blow caused by liquefaction during the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss
USGS scientist Jaime Delano, observes a sand blow caused by liquefaction during the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss
Science and Products
External Grants - Overview
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provides support for research that will assist in achieving the goals of the Earthquake Hazards Program. The goal is to mitigate earthquake losses that can occur in many parts of the nation by providing earth science data and assessments essential for land-use planning, engineering design, and emergency preparedness decisions.
Geologic Cracks Record Earthquakes on the Reelfoot Fault in Central U.S.
Release Date: APRIL 25, 2019 New high-resolution lidar data reveals cracks produced from strong shaking in past earthquakes in the New Madrid seismic zone.
New Methods for Dating and Sequencing Ancient Earthquakes Along the Wasatch Fault Zone
Release Date: OCTOBER 12, 2018 Complex geologic sites, like those between the fault segments along the Wasatch fault zone in Utah, make the dating and ordering past earthquakes a difficult task. Two new methods were used to make this task easier and to get better results.
Untangling Faults at Depth – What Lies Beneath Panamint Valley, California?
Release Date: APRIL 30, 2018 The eastern edge of Panamint Valley,CA has two types of faults that can be seen in the near-surface geology. 150 geophones and a seismic source will help reveal the subsurface picture.
How Big and How Frequent Are Earthquakes on the Wasatch Fault?
Release Date: FEBRUARY 1, 2015 Paleoseismology along the Wasatch Fault in Utah is helping to estimate the shaking risk to nearby towns.
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientists Beth Haddon (left) and Jaime Delano (right) measuring an offset road at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
USGS scientists Beth Haddon (left) and Jaime Delano (right) measuring an offset road at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientist Jessie Thompson Jobe measures fault offset at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
USGS scientist Jessie Thompson Jobe measures fault offset at the site of the Ridgecrest earthquake sequence rupture. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss, USGS
Women in Science - Responding to Ridgecrest, CA earthquake July 2019
USGS scientist Jaime Delano, observes a sand blow caused by liquefaction during the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss
USGS scientist Jaime Delano, observes a sand blow caused by liquefaction during the M7.1 Ridgecrest earthquake. Photo credit: Chris DuRoss