Seth Moran, Ph.D.
My professional career has largely been devoted to the study of active volcanoes and volcano seismology, with a hiatus in 2015-2020 to serve as the Scientist-in-Charge of the Cascades Volcano Observatory. I am interested in all things volcanoes and seismology, as well as hazards in general. I'm also interested in science communication and in seeking ways to build more inclusive workplace environments.
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 56
Seismic and acoustic recordings of an unusually large rockfall at Mount St. Helens, Washington
On 29 May 2006 a large rockfall off the Mount St. Helens lava dome produced an atmospheric plume that was reported by airplane pilots to have risen to 6,000 m above sea level and interpreted to be a result of an explosive event. However, subsequent field reconnaissance found no evidence of a ballistic field, indicating that there was no explosive component. The rockfall produced complex...
Authors
Seth C. Moran, R.S. Matoza, M.A. Garces, M.A.H. Hedlin, D. Bowers, William E. Scott, David R. Sherrod, James W. Vallance
Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure derived from local earthquakes at the Katmai group of volcanoes, Alaska
The three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure beneath the Katmai group of volcanoes is determined by inversion of more than 10,000 rays from over 1000 earthquakes recorded on a local 18 station short-period network between September 1996 and May 2001. The inversion is well constrained from sea level to about 6 km below sea level and encompasses all of the Katmai volcanoes; Martin...
Authors
A.D. Jolly, S.C. Moran, S.R. McNutt, D.B. Stone
On the absence of InSAR-detected volcano deformation spanning the 1995-1996 and 1999 eruptions of Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska
Shishaldin Volcano, a large, frequently active basaltic-andesite volcano located on Unimak Island in the Aleutian Arc of Alaska, had a minor eruption in 1995–1996 and a VEI 3 sub-Plinian basaltic eruption in 1999. We used 21 synthetic aperture radar images acquired by ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS-1, and RADARSAT-1 satellites to construct 12 coherent interferograms that span most of the 1993–2003...
Authors
S.C. Moran, O. Kwoun, Timothy Masterlark, Z. Lu
Dynamics of seismogenic volcanic extrusion at Mount St Helens in 2004-05
The 2004-05 eruption of Mount St Helens exhibited sustained, near-equilibrium behaviour characterized by relatively steady extrusion of a solid dacite plug and nearly periodic shallow earthquakes. Here we present a diverse data set to support our hypothesis that these earthquakes resulted from stick-slip motion along the margins of the plug as it was forced incrementally upwards by...
Authors
R.M. Iverson, D. Dzurisin, C. A. Gardner, T.M. Gerlach, R.G. LaHusen, M. Lisowski, J. J. Major, S. D. Malone, J.A. Messerich, S.C. Moran, J.S. Pallister, A.I. Qamar, S. P. Schilling, J.W. Vallance
Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1 through December 31, 2003
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has maintained seismic monitoring networks at historically active volcanoes in Alaska since 1988. The primary objectives of this program are the near real time seismic...
Authors
James P. Dixon, Scott D. Stihler, John A. Power, Guy Tytgat, Seth C. Moran, John J. Sanchez, Stephen R. McNutt, Steve Estes, John Paskievitch
Evidence for dike emplacement beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska in 1996
Two earthquake swarms, comprising 88 and 2833 locatable events, occurred beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska, in May and August of 1996. Swarm earthquakes ranged in magnitude from -0.9 to 3.3. Increases in SO2 and CO2 emissions detected during the fall of 1996 were coincident with the second swarm. No other physical changes were observed in or around the volcano during this time period. No...
Authors
D.C. Roman, J.A. Power, S.C. Moran, K. V. Cashman, M.P. Doukas, C. A. Neal, T.M. Gerlach
Temporal and spatial variation of local stress fields before and after the 1992 eruptions of Crater Peak vent, Mount Spurr volcano, Alaska
We searched for changes in local stress-field orientation at Mount Spurr volcano, Alaska, between August 1991 and December 2001. This study focuses on the stress-field orientation beneath Crater Peak vent, the site of three eruptions in 1992, and beneath the summit of Mount Spurr. Local stress tensors were calculated by inverting subsets of 140 fault-plane solutions for earthquakes...
Authors
D.C. Roman, S.C. Moran, J.A. Power, K. V. Cashman
Earthquake triggering at Alaskan volcanoes following the 3 November 2002 Denali fault earthquake
The 3 November 2002 Mw 7.9 Denali fault earthquake provided an excellent opportunity to investigate triggered earthquakes at Alaskan volcanoes. The Alaska Volcano Observatory operates short-period seismic networks on 24 historically active volcanoes in Alaska, 247-2159 km distant from the mainshock epicenter. We searched for evidence of triggered seismicity by examining the unfiltered...
Authors
S.C. Moran, J.A. Power, S.D. Stihler, J.J. Sanchez, J. Caplan-Auerbach
Observations of deep long-period (DLP) seismic events beneath Aleutian arc volcanoes; 1989-2002
Between October 12, 1989 and December 31, 2002, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) located 162 deep long-period (DLP) events beneath 11 volcanic centers in the Aleutian arc. These events generally occur at mid- to lower-crustal depths (10-45 km) and are characterized by emergent phases, extended codas, and a strong spectral peak between 1.0 and 3.0 Hz. Observed wave velocities and...
Authors
J.A. Power, S.D. Stihler, R.A. White, S.C. Moran
Seismic monitoring at Cascade volcanic centers, 2004 — Status and recommendations
The purpose of this report is to assess the current (May, 2004) status of seismic monitoring networks at the 13 major Cascade volcanic centers. Included in this assessment are descriptions of each network, analyses of the ability of each network to detect and to locate seismic activity, identification of specific weaknesses in each network, and a prioritized list of those networks that...
Authors
Seth C. Moran
Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1 through December 31, 2002
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has maintained seismic monitoring networks at historically active volcanoes in Alaska since 1988 (Power and others, 1993; Jolly and others, 1996; Jolly and others, 2001...
Authors
James P. Dixon, Scott D. Stihler, John A. Power, Guy Tytgat, Seth C. Moran, John Sánchez, Steve Estes, Stephen R. McNutt, John Paskievitch
Multiple seismogenic processes for high-frequency earthquakes at Katmai National Park, Alaska: Evidence from stress tensor inversions of fault-plane solutions
The volcanological significance of seismicity within Katmai National Park has been debated since the first seismograph was installed in 1963, in part because Katmai seismicity consists almost entirely of high-frequency earthquakes that can be caused by a wide range of processes. I investigate this issue by determining 140 well-constrained first-motion fault-plane solutions for shallow...
Authors
Seth C. Moran
Science and Products
Filter Total Items: 56
Seismic and acoustic recordings of an unusually large rockfall at Mount St. Helens, Washington
On 29 May 2006 a large rockfall off the Mount St. Helens lava dome produced an atmospheric plume that was reported by airplane pilots to have risen to 6,000 m above sea level and interpreted to be a result of an explosive event. However, subsequent field reconnaissance found no evidence of a ballistic field, indicating that there was no explosive component. The rockfall produced complex...
Authors
Seth C. Moran, R.S. Matoza, M.A. Garces, M.A.H. Hedlin, D. Bowers, William E. Scott, David R. Sherrod, James W. Vallance
Three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure derived from local earthquakes at the Katmai group of volcanoes, Alaska
The three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure beneath the Katmai group of volcanoes is determined by inversion of more than 10,000 rays from over 1000 earthquakes recorded on a local 18 station short-period network between September 1996 and May 2001. The inversion is well constrained from sea level to about 6 km below sea level and encompasses all of the Katmai volcanoes; Martin...
Authors
A.D. Jolly, S.C. Moran, S.R. McNutt, D.B. Stone
On the absence of InSAR-detected volcano deformation spanning the 1995-1996 and 1999 eruptions of Shishaldin Volcano, Alaska
Shishaldin Volcano, a large, frequently active basaltic-andesite volcano located on Unimak Island in the Aleutian Arc of Alaska, had a minor eruption in 1995–1996 and a VEI 3 sub-Plinian basaltic eruption in 1999. We used 21 synthetic aperture radar images acquired by ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS-1, and RADARSAT-1 satellites to construct 12 coherent interferograms that span most of the 1993–2003...
Authors
S.C. Moran, O. Kwoun, Timothy Masterlark, Z. Lu
Dynamics of seismogenic volcanic extrusion at Mount St Helens in 2004-05
The 2004-05 eruption of Mount St Helens exhibited sustained, near-equilibrium behaviour characterized by relatively steady extrusion of a solid dacite plug and nearly periodic shallow earthquakes. Here we present a diverse data set to support our hypothesis that these earthquakes resulted from stick-slip motion along the margins of the plug as it was forced incrementally upwards by...
Authors
R.M. Iverson, D. Dzurisin, C. A. Gardner, T.M. Gerlach, R.G. LaHusen, M. Lisowski, J. J. Major, S. D. Malone, J.A. Messerich, S.C. Moran, J.S. Pallister, A.I. Qamar, S. P. Schilling, J.W. Vallance
Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1 through December 31, 2003
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has maintained seismic monitoring networks at historically active volcanoes in Alaska since 1988. The primary objectives of this program are the near real time seismic...
Authors
James P. Dixon, Scott D. Stihler, John A. Power, Guy Tytgat, Seth C. Moran, John J. Sanchez, Stephen R. McNutt, Steve Estes, John Paskievitch
Evidence for dike emplacement beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska in 1996
Two earthquake swarms, comprising 88 and 2833 locatable events, occurred beneath Iliamna Volcano, Alaska, in May and August of 1996. Swarm earthquakes ranged in magnitude from -0.9 to 3.3. Increases in SO2 and CO2 emissions detected during the fall of 1996 were coincident with the second swarm. No other physical changes were observed in or around the volcano during this time period. No...
Authors
D.C. Roman, J.A. Power, S.C. Moran, K. V. Cashman, M.P. Doukas, C. A. Neal, T.M. Gerlach
Temporal and spatial variation of local stress fields before and after the 1992 eruptions of Crater Peak vent, Mount Spurr volcano, Alaska
We searched for changes in local stress-field orientation at Mount Spurr volcano, Alaska, between August 1991 and December 2001. This study focuses on the stress-field orientation beneath Crater Peak vent, the site of three eruptions in 1992, and beneath the summit of Mount Spurr. Local stress tensors were calculated by inverting subsets of 140 fault-plane solutions for earthquakes...
Authors
D.C. Roman, S.C. Moran, J.A. Power, K. V. Cashman
Earthquake triggering at Alaskan volcanoes following the 3 November 2002 Denali fault earthquake
The 3 November 2002 Mw 7.9 Denali fault earthquake provided an excellent opportunity to investigate triggered earthquakes at Alaskan volcanoes. The Alaska Volcano Observatory operates short-period seismic networks on 24 historically active volcanoes in Alaska, 247-2159 km distant from the mainshock epicenter. We searched for evidence of triggered seismicity by examining the unfiltered...
Authors
S.C. Moran, J.A. Power, S.D. Stihler, J.J. Sanchez, J. Caplan-Auerbach
Observations of deep long-period (DLP) seismic events beneath Aleutian arc volcanoes; 1989-2002
Between October 12, 1989 and December 31, 2002, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) located 162 deep long-period (DLP) events beneath 11 volcanic centers in the Aleutian arc. These events generally occur at mid- to lower-crustal depths (10-45 km) and are characterized by emergent phases, extended codas, and a strong spectral peak between 1.0 and 3.0 Hz. Observed wave velocities and...
Authors
J.A. Power, S.D. Stihler, R.A. White, S.C. Moran
Seismic monitoring at Cascade volcanic centers, 2004 — Status and recommendations
The purpose of this report is to assess the current (May, 2004) status of seismic monitoring networks at the 13 major Cascade volcanic centers. Included in this assessment are descriptions of each network, analyses of the ability of each network to detect and to locate seismic activity, identification of specific weaknesses in each network, and a prioritized list of those networks that...
Authors
Seth C. Moran
Catalog of earthquake hypocenters at Alaskan volcanoes: January 1 through December 31, 2002
The Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO), a cooperative program of the U.S. Geological Survey, the Geophysical Institute of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has maintained seismic monitoring networks at historically active volcanoes in Alaska since 1988 (Power and others, 1993; Jolly and others, 1996; Jolly and others, 2001...
Authors
James P. Dixon, Scott D. Stihler, John A. Power, Guy Tytgat, Seth C. Moran, John Sánchez, Steve Estes, Stephen R. McNutt, John Paskievitch
Multiple seismogenic processes for high-frequency earthquakes at Katmai National Park, Alaska: Evidence from stress tensor inversions of fault-plane solutions
The volcanological significance of seismicity within Katmai National Park has been debated since the first seismograph was installed in 1963, in part because Katmai seismicity consists almost entirely of high-frequency earthquakes that can be caused by a wide range of processes. I investigate this issue by determining 140 well-constrained first-motion fault-plane solutions for shallow...
Authors
Seth C. Moran