Rufus D Catchings, PhD
Rufus Catchings is a seismologist working on
• Earthquake hazards
• Hydrogeology
• Regional imaging of resources
• Induced seismicity
Dr. Catchings’ scientific interests include seismic evaluation of the subsurface, particularly as it relates to earthquake and other hazards, groundwater and other resources, and tectonics. Catchings also develops seismic methodologies. He has conducted numerous studies and served as advisor for more than 60 local, state, federal, and international government agencies, and private organizations. He has served as research advisor for 15 M.S. and Ph.D. students. Catchings has more than 430 published works, including journal articles, reports, conference papers, and abstracts.
Dr. Catchings has been a Research Geophysicst at USGS since 1981. He served as Chief Scientist for the Earthquake Hazards Team, 2005–2008.
Awards
- Bromery Award, Geological Society of America, 2018
- Superior Service Award, U.S. Department of the Interior, 2000
- Special Act Award, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1990, 2006
- Fellow, Geological Society of America, 1997
Education
- Stanford University, PhD Geophysics, 1987
- University of Wisconsin-Madison, MS Geophysics, 1983
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Geophysics, 1980
- Appalachian State University, BS Geophysics, 1979
External Research Database
ResearchGate
Science and Products
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Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India
Three short (∼35 km) seismic-reflection profiles are presented from the region of the 2001 Mw = 7.7 Bhuj (western India) earthquake. These profiles image a 35–45-km-thick crust with strong, near-horizontal reflections at all depths. The thickness of the crust increases by 10 km over a distance of ∼50 km from the northern margin of the Gulf of Kutch to the earthquake epicenter. Aftershocks of the B
Authors
Dipankar Sarkar, K. Sain, P.R. Reddy, Rufus D. Catchings, Walter D. Mooney
Structure and Velocities of the Northeastern Santa Cruz Mountains and the Western Santa Clara Valley, California, from the SCSI-LR Seismic Survey
Introduction: The Santa Clara Valley is located in the southern San Francisco Bay area of California and generally includes the area south of the San Francisco Bay between the Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwest and the Diablo Ranges on the northeast. The area has a population of approximately 1.7 million including the city of San Jose, numerous smaller cities, and much of the high-technology m
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, G. Gandhok
High-resolution seismic-reflection image of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
A 1-kilometer-long (0.62-mile-long) seismic reflection and refraction profile collected at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., provides a detailed image of part of the annular trough of the buried, 35-million-year-old Chesapeake Bay impact structure. This profile passes within 5 meters (m; 16.4 feet (ft)) of a 635.1-m-deep (2,083.8-ft-dee
Authors
Rufus D. Catchings, David S. Powars, Gregory Gohn, Mark R. Goldman
Using twelve years of USGS refraction lines to calibrate the Brocher and others (1997) 3D velocity model of the Bay Area
Campbell (1983) demonstrated that site amplification correlates with depths to the 1.0, 1.5, and 2.5 km/s S-wave velocity horizons. To estimate these depths for the Bay Area stations in the PEER/NGA database, we compare the depths to the 3.2 and 4.4 km/s P-wave velocities in the Brocher and others (1997) 3D velocity model with the depths to these horizons determined from 6 refraction lines shot in
Authors
John Boatwright, Luke Blair, Rufus Catchings, Mark Goldman, Fabio Perosi, Clare Steedman
Velocity models, first-arrival travel times, and geometries of 1991 and 1993 USGS land-based controlled-source seismic investigations in the San Francisco Bay area, California: In-line shots
No abstract available.
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, C. E. Steedman, G. Gandhok
Data report for the main line of the PSINE seismic survey across the San Andreas Fault and SAFOD Site near Parkfield, California
In October and November 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, Stanford University, and Geometrics Corporation jointly acquired a highresolution
seismic reflection/refraction profile across the San Andreas Fault Zone (SAFZ)
and the proposed San-Andreas-Fault-Observatory-at-Depth (SAFOD) drill site located
near Parkfield, California (Fig. 1a). We refer to this seismic sur
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, M. J. Rymer, G. Gandhok, G. S. Fuis
A Look Inside the San Andreas fault at Parkfield Through Vertical Seismic Profiling
The San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth pilot hole is located on the southwestern side of the Parkfield San Andreas fault. This observatory includes a vertical seismic profiling (VSP) array. VSP seismograms from nearby micro-earthquakes contain signals between the P and S waves. These signals may be P and S waves scattered by the local geologic structure. The collected scattering points form pl
Authors
J.A. Chavarria, P. Malin, R. D. Catchings, E. Shalev
High-resolution seismic velocities and shallow structure of the San Andreas fault zone at Middle Mountain, Parkfield, California
A 5-km-long, high-resolution seismic imaging survey across the San Andreas fault (SAF) zone and the proposed San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) drill site near Parkfield, California, shows that velocities vary both laterally and vertically. Velocities range from
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. J. Rymer, M. R. Goldman, J.A. Hole, R. Huggins, C. Lippus
Stratigraphic and structural characterization of the OU-1 area at the former George Air Force Base, Adelanto, southern California
The former George Air Force Base (GAFB), now known as the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), is located in the town of Adelanto, approximately 100 km northeast of Los Angeles, California (Fig. 1). In this report, we present acquisition parameters, data, and interpretations of seismic images that were acquired in the OU-1 area of GAFB during July 1999 (Fig. 2). GAFB is scheduled for conv
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman
Seismic images and fault relations of the Santa Monica thrust fault, West Los Angeles, California
In May 1997, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Southern California (USC) acquired high-resolution seismic reflection and refraction images on the grounds of the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital (WVAH) in the city of Los Angeles (Fig. 1a,b). The objective of the seismic survey was to better understand the near-surface geometry and faulting characteristics of the Santa
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman, D. Okaya
High-resolution seismic imaging for environmental and earthquake hazards assessment at the Raychem site, Menlo Park, California
No abstract available.
Authors
Rufus Douglas Catchings, Elba Horta, Mark R. Goldman, Michael J. Rymer, Thomas R. Burdette
Steep-dip seismic imaging of the shallow San Andreas Fault near Parkfield
Seismic reflection and refraction images illuminate the San Andreas Fault to a depth of 1 kilometer. The prestack depth-migrated reflection image contains near-vertical reflections aligned with the active fault trace. The fault is vertical in the upper 0.5 kilometer, then dips about 70° to the southwest to at least 1 kilometer subsurface. This dip reconciles the difference between the computed loc
Authors
J.A. Hole, R. D. Catchings, K.C. St. Clair, M. J. Rymer, D. A. Okaya, B.J. Carney
Non-USGS Publications**
Catchings, R.D., and Mooney, W.D., 1988, Crustal structure of the Columbia Plateau: Evidence for continental rifting: Journal of Geophysical Research , v. 93, p. 459–474, doi.org/10.1029/JB093iB01p00459.
Catchings, R., Jarchow, C., Holbrook, S., Benz, H., Hawman, R., Thompson, G., Mooney, W., Smith, R., Priestley, K., Cipar, J., Borcherdt, R., Whitman, D., Smithson, S., Walker, D., Johnson, R., Karl, J., Jefferson, T., Clement, B., Dietel, C., Wu, F., and Harder, S., 1988, The 1986 PASSCAL Basin and Range Lithospheric Seismic Experiment, Eos Trans. AGU, 69( 20), 593– 598, doi:10.1029/88EO00174.
Zucca, J.J., Fuis, G.S., Milkereit, B., Mooney, W.D., and Catchings, R.D., 1986, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 7859-7382, doi.org/10.1029/JB091iB07p07359.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 20
No Result Found
Filter Total Items: 77
Seismic-reflection images of the crust beneath the 2001 M = 7.7 Kutch (Bhuj) epicentral region, western India
Three short (∼35 km) seismic-reflection profiles are presented from the region of the 2001 Mw = 7.7 Bhuj (western India) earthquake. These profiles image a 35–45-km-thick crust with strong, near-horizontal reflections at all depths. The thickness of the crust increases by 10 km over a distance of ∼50 km from the northern margin of the Gulf of Kutch to the earthquake epicenter. Aftershocks of the B
Authors
Dipankar Sarkar, K. Sain, P.R. Reddy, Rufus D. Catchings, Walter D. Mooney
Structure and Velocities of the Northeastern Santa Cruz Mountains and the Western Santa Clara Valley, California, from the SCSI-LR Seismic Survey
Introduction: The Santa Clara Valley is located in the southern San Francisco Bay area of California and generally includes the area south of the San Francisco Bay between the Santa Cruz Mountains on the southwest and the Diablo Ranges on the northeast. The area has a population of approximately 1.7 million including the city of San Jose, numerous smaller cities, and much of the high-technology m
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, G. Gandhok
High-resolution seismic-reflection image of the Chesapeake Bay impact structure, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, Virginia
A 1-kilometer-long (0.62-mile-long) seismic reflection and refraction profile collected at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Langley Research Center, Hampton, Va., provides a detailed image of part of the annular trough of the buried, 35-million-year-old Chesapeake Bay impact structure. This profile passes within 5 meters (m; 16.4 feet (ft)) of a 635.1-m-deep (2,083.8-ft-dee
Authors
Rufus D. Catchings, David S. Powars, Gregory Gohn, Mark R. Goldman
Using twelve years of USGS refraction lines to calibrate the Brocher and others (1997) 3D velocity model of the Bay Area
Campbell (1983) demonstrated that site amplification correlates with depths to the 1.0, 1.5, and 2.5 km/s S-wave velocity horizons. To estimate these depths for the Bay Area stations in the PEER/NGA database, we compare the depths to the 3.2 and 4.4 km/s P-wave velocities in the Brocher and others (1997) 3D velocity model with the depths to these horizons determined from 6 refraction lines shot in
Authors
John Boatwright, Luke Blair, Rufus Catchings, Mark Goldman, Fabio Perosi, Clare Steedman
Velocity models, first-arrival travel times, and geometries of 1991 and 1993 USGS land-based controlled-source seismic investigations in the San Francisco Bay area, California: In-line shots
No abstract available.
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, C. E. Steedman, G. Gandhok
Data report for the main line of the PSINE seismic survey across the San Andreas Fault and SAFOD Site near Parkfield, California
In October and November 1998, the U.S. Geological Survey, Virginia Polytechnic
Institute, Stanford University, and Geometrics Corporation jointly acquired a highresolution
seismic reflection/refraction profile across the San Andreas Fault Zone (SAFZ)
and the proposed San-Andreas-Fault-Observatory-at-Depth (SAFOD) drill site located
near Parkfield, California (Fig. 1a). We refer to this seismic sur
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. R. Goldman, M. J. Rymer, G. Gandhok, G. S. Fuis
A Look Inside the San Andreas fault at Parkfield Through Vertical Seismic Profiling
The San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth pilot hole is located on the southwestern side of the Parkfield San Andreas fault. This observatory includes a vertical seismic profiling (VSP) array. VSP seismograms from nearby micro-earthquakes contain signals between the P and S waves. These signals may be P and S waves scattered by the local geologic structure. The collected scattering points form pl
Authors
J.A. Chavarria, P. Malin, R. D. Catchings, E. Shalev
High-resolution seismic velocities and shallow structure of the San Andreas fault zone at Middle Mountain, Parkfield, California
A 5-km-long, high-resolution seismic imaging survey across the San Andreas fault (SAF) zone and the proposed San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) drill site near Parkfield, California, shows that velocities vary both laterally and vertically. Velocities range from
Authors
R. D. Catchings, M. J. Rymer, M. R. Goldman, J.A. Hole, R. Huggins, C. Lippus
Stratigraphic and structural characterization of the OU-1 area at the former George Air Force Base, Adelanto, southern California
The former George Air Force Base (GAFB), now known as the Southern California Logistics Airport (SCLA), is located in the town of Adelanto, approximately 100 km northeast of Los Angeles, California (Fig. 1). In this report, we present acquisition parameters, data, and interpretations of seismic images that were acquired in the OU-1 area of GAFB during July 1999 (Fig. 2). GAFB is scheduled for conv
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman
Seismic images and fault relations of the Santa Monica thrust fault, West Los Angeles, California
In May 1997, the US Geological Survey (USGS) and the University of Southern California (USC) acquired high-resolution seismic reflection and refraction images on the grounds of the Wadsworth Veterans Administration Hospital (WVAH) in the city of Los Angeles (Fig. 1a,b). The objective of the seismic survey was to better understand the near-surface geometry and faulting characteristics of the Santa
Authors
R. D. Catchings, G. Gandhok, M. R. Goldman, D. Okaya
High-resolution seismic imaging for environmental and earthquake hazards assessment at the Raychem site, Menlo Park, California
No abstract available.
Authors
Rufus Douglas Catchings, Elba Horta, Mark R. Goldman, Michael J. Rymer, Thomas R. Burdette
Steep-dip seismic imaging of the shallow San Andreas Fault near Parkfield
Seismic reflection and refraction images illuminate the San Andreas Fault to a depth of 1 kilometer. The prestack depth-migrated reflection image contains near-vertical reflections aligned with the active fault trace. The fault is vertical in the upper 0.5 kilometer, then dips about 70° to the southwest to at least 1 kilometer subsurface. This dip reconciles the difference between the computed loc
Authors
J.A. Hole, R. D. Catchings, K.C. St. Clair, M. J. Rymer, D. A. Okaya, B.J. Carney
Non-USGS Publications**
Catchings, R.D., and Mooney, W.D., 1988, Crustal structure of the Columbia Plateau: Evidence for continental rifting: Journal of Geophysical Research , v. 93, p. 459–474, doi.org/10.1029/JB093iB01p00459.
Catchings, R., Jarchow, C., Holbrook, S., Benz, H., Hawman, R., Thompson, G., Mooney, W., Smith, R., Priestley, K., Cipar, J., Borcherdt, R., Whitman, D., Smithson, S., Walker, D., Johnson, R., Karl, J., Jefferson, T., Clement, B., Dietel, C., Wu, F., and Harder, S., 1988, The 1986 PASSCAL Basin and Range Lithospheric Seismic Experiment, Eos Trans. AGU, 69( 20), 593– 598, doi:10.1029/88EO00174.
Zucca, J.J., Fuis, G.S., Milkereit, B., Mooney, W.D., and Catchings, R.D., 1986, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 91, p. 7859-7382, doi.org/10.1029/JB091iB07p07359.
**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.