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Publications

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The variability of PSV response spectra across a dense array deployed during the Northridge aftershock sequence

This study addresses the variability of pseudo-velocity response spectra across an array deployed on stiff soil in the San Fernando Valley during the Northridge (Mw 6.7) aftershock sequence. The separation between stations ranged from 0.5 to 5 km, and the aftershock magnitudes ranged from 2.3 to 4.0. We find that 95-percent of observed response spectra are within a factor of 1.9 to 2.6 of the netw
Authors
Edward H. Field, Susan E. Hough

Water-level changes in response to the 20 December 1994 earthquake near Parkfield, California

We analyze co-seismic changes of water level in nine wells near Parkfield, California, produced by an MD 4.7 earthquake on 20 December 1994 in order to test the hypothesis that co-seismic water-level changes are proportional to co-seismic volumetric strain. For each well, a quantitative relationship between water level and volumetric strain can be inferred from water-level fluctuations due to eart
Authors
Eddie Quilty, Evelyn A. Roeloffs

The imager for Mars Pathfinder experiment

The imager for Mars Pathfinder (IMP), a stereoscopic, multispectral camera, is described in terms of its capabilities for studying the Martian environment. The camera's two eyes, separated by 15.0 cm, provide the camera with range‐finding ability. Each eye illuminates half of a single CCD detector with a field of view of 14.4×14.0° and has 12 selectable filters. The ƒ/18 optics have a large depth
Authors
P. H. Smith, M.G. Tomasko, D. Britt, D.G. Crowe, R. Reid, H.U. Keller, N. Thomas, F. Gliem, P. Rueffer, R. Sullivan, R. Greeley, J. M. Knudsen, M.B. Madsen, H.P. Gunnlaugsson, S.F. Hviid, W. Goetz, Laurence A. Soderblom, L. Gaddis, Randolph L. Kirk

Natural disasters: forecasting economic and life losses

Events such as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and tornadoes are natural disasters because they negatively impact society, and so they must be measured and understood in human-related terms. At the U.S. Geological Survey, we have developed a new method to examine fatality and dollar-loss data, and to make probabilistic estimates of the frequency and magnitude of futu
Authors
Stuart P. Nishenko, Christopher C. Barton

Some comparisons between recent ground-motion relations

We provide an overview of new ground-motion relations for eastern North America (ENA) developed over the last five years. The empirical-stochastic relations of Atkinson and Boore (1995) are compared to relations developed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI, 1993; also Toro et al., 1994), Frankel et al. (1996), and the consensus ENA ground-motion values as reported by SSHAC (1996). The
Authors
Gail M. Atkinson, David Boore

Physiography, Geomorphic/geologic Mapping and Stratigraphy of Venus

No abstract available.
Authors
K. L. Tanaka, D.A. Senske, M. Price, Randolph L. Kirk

Digital compilation of landslide overview map of the conterminous United States

This dataset consists of polygons enclosing areas of landslide incidence and susceptibility for the conterminous United States.
Authors
Jonathan W. Godt, Dorothy H. Radbruch-Hall

Debris-flow mobilization from landslides

Field observations, laboratory experiments, and theoretical analyses indicate that landslides mobilize to form debris flows by three processes: (a) widespread Coulomb failure within a sloping soil, rock, or sediment mass, (b) partial or complete liquefaction of the mass by high pore-fluid pressures, and (c) conversion of landslide translational energy to internal vibrational energy (i.e. granular
Authors
Richard M. Iverson, Mark E. Reid, Richard G. Lahusen

Predicting landslide vegetation in patches on landscape gradients in Puerto Rico

We explored the predictive value of common landscape characteristics for landslide vegetative stages in the Luquillo Experimental Forest of Puerto Rico using four different analyses. Maximum likelihood logistic regression showed that aspect, age, and substrate type could be used to predict vegetative structural stage. In addition it showed that the structural complexity of the vegetation was great

Authors
R.W. Myster, J.R. Thomlinson, M. C. Larsen

Regional landslide-hazard evaluation using landslide slopes, Western Wasatch County, Utah

Landsliding has historically been one of the most damaging geologic hazards in western Wasatch County, Utah. Accordingly, we mapped and analyzed landslides (slumps and debris slides) in the area to provide an empirical basis for regional landslide-hazard evaluation. The 336 landslides in the 250-sq-mi (650-km2) area involve 20 geologic units, including Mississippian- to Quaternary-aged rock and un
Authors
M.D. Hylland, Mark Lowe

Debris-flow hazard map units from gridded probabilities

The common statistical practice of dividing a range of probabilities into equal probability intervals may not result in useful landslide-hazard map units for areas populated by equal-area cells, each of which has a unique probability. Most hazard map areas contain very large numbers of cells having low probability of failure, and as probability increases, the number of cells decreases in a non-lin
Authors
Russell H. Campbell, Richard L. Bernknopf

Hydraulic modeling of unsteady debris-flow surges with solid-fluid interactions

Interactions of solid and fluid constituents produce the unique style of motion that typifies debris flows. To simulate this motion, a new hydraulic model represents debris flows as deforming masses of granular solids variably liquefied by viscous pore fluid. The momentum equation of the model describes how internal and boundary forces change as coarse-grained surge heads dominated by grain-contac
Authors
Richard M. Iverson