Land Surface Changes, Ground Deformation, and Seismicity

We study surface changes, ground deformation, and seismicity in various settings. We primarily use remote-sensing techniques, e.g., multi-temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) and GPS, and other auxiliary datasets to characterize robust ground deformation history in regions under the influences of tectonics (e.g., fault-zone deformation), surficial processes (e.g., soil moisture), and/or anthropogenic activities (e.g., agriculture and energy production).

Our focus is on the connections between surface observations and subsurface processes, including the existence or absence of seismicity. The overarching goal is to improve our understanding of earthquake triggering and the state and heterogeneity of stress in the shallow crust. Our research areas include Central and Southern California, Oklahoma, and Southern Kansas.

Publications

The North Brawley Geothermal Field, located within the Brawley Seismic Zone of Southern California, presents a case study for …

Large earthquakes often lead to transient deformation and enhanced seismic activity, with their fastest evolution occurring at the …

While the quality and availability of Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data has dramatically improved in recent years, …

Thickness of the seismogenic zone is commonly determined based on the depth of microseismicity or the fault locking depth inferred from …