A5091528404- Landslides and related hazards
- Cryospheric studies and observations
- Remote Sensing and LiDAR Applications
- 3D Surveying and Cultural Heritage
- Seismology and Earthquake Studies
- Rock Mechanics and Modeling
- Seismic Waves and Analysis
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- earthquake and tectonic studies
- Hydrology and Sediment Transport Processes
- Soil and Unsaturated Flow
- Geotechnical Engineering and Underground Structures
- Geotechnical Engineering and Analysis
- Flood Risk Assessment and Management
- Earthquake Detection and Analysis
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Archaeological Research and Protection
- Tree Root and Stability Studies
- Geotechnical Engineering and Soil Mechanics
- Coastal and Marine Dynamics
- Seismic Imaging and Inversion Techniques
- Geotechnical and Geomechanical Engineering
- Dam Engineering and Safety
- Climate change and permafrost
- Soil erosion and sediment transport
United States Geological Survey
2016-2025
Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center
2018-2025
Stevens Institute of Technology
2021-2022
Ohio University
2019
Pacific Island Ecosystems Research Center
2014
United States Department of the Interior
2012
University of California, Berkeley
2003-2010
University of California, Los Angeles
2009
Salisbury University
2009
Menlo School
2006-2007
The Gorkha earthquake (magnitude 7.8) on 25 April 2015 and later aftershocks struck South Asia, killing ~9000 people damaging a large region. Supported by campaign of responsive satellite data acquisitions over the disaster zone, our team undertook image survey earthquakes' induced geohazards in Nepal China an assessment geomorphic, tectonic, lithologic controls quake-induced landslides. Timely analysis communication aided response recovery informed decision-makers. We mapped 4312 coseismic...
The slope stability issues concerning rainfall induced failures are investigated and presented. Specifically, the effect of both negative positive pore water pressures on initially unsaturated slopes carefully explained coupled with infinite analysis methods in order to present a predictive formulation that occur as result events. serves baseline method for evaluating potentially unstable soil subject surface infiltration explains various triggering mechanisms may based individual...
Landslides reflect landscape instability that evolves over meteorological and geological timescales, they also pose threats to people, property, the environment. The severity of these depends largely on landslide speed travel distance, which are collectively described as "mobility". To investigate causes effects mobility, we focus a disastrous occurred 22 March 2014 near Oso, Washington, USA, following long period abnormally wet weather. landslide's impacts were severe because its mobility...
First posted July 28, 2015 Revised August 24, For additional information, contact: Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey345 Middlefield Road, MS 901Menlo Park, CA 94025-3591http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/gmeg/ On April 25, 2015, a large (M7.8) earthquake shook much of central Nepal was followed by series M>6 aftershocks, including M7.3 event on May 12, 2015. This referred to as the "Gorkha sequence," caused thousands fatalities, damaged destroyed entire...
Abstract Elevated soil moisture and heavy precipitation contribute to landslides worldwide. These environmental variables are now being resolved with satellites at spatiotemporal scales that could offer new perspectives on the development of landslide warning systems. However, application these data hydrometeorological thresholds (which account for antecedent rainfall) first needs be evaluated respect proven, direct measurement‐based use rain gages in situ sensors. Here we compare...
Abstract. Rainfall strongly affects landslide triggering; however, understanding how storm characteristics relate to the severity of landslides at regional scale has thus far remained unclear, despite societal benefits that would result from defining this relationship. As mapped inventories typically cover a small region relative system, here we develop proxy for landslide-inducing rainfall, A*, based on extremes modelled soil water its local climatology. We calibrate A* using four...
ABSTRACT Progressive rock‐fall failures in natural rock slopes are common many environments, but often elude detailed quantitative documentation and analysis. Here we present high‐resolution photography, video, laser scanning data that document spatial temporal patterns of a 15‐month‐long sequence at least 14 falls from the Rhombus Wall, sheeted granitic cliff Yosemite Valley, California. The began on 26 August 2009 with small failure tip an overhanging slab. Several hours later, series five...
Rock domes, with their onion-skin layers of exfoliation sheets, are among the most captivating landforms on Earth. Long recognized as integral in shaping exact mechanism(s) by which occurs remains enigmatic, mainly due to lack direct observations natural events. In August 2014, during hottest days summer, a granitic dome California, USA, spontaneously exfoliated; witnesses observed extensive cracking, including ~8000 kg sheet popping into air. Subsequent episodes following two summers were...
Abstract Most regional landslide warning systems utilize empirically derived rainfall thresholds that are difficult to improve without recalibration additional events. To address this limitation, we explored the use of synthetic generate thousands possible storm patterns and coupled them with a physics‐based hydrology slope stability model for various antecedent soil saturation scenarios analyze pore water pressure factor safety metrics. We used these metrics two‐tiered alert can be employed...
Abstract Characterization of rock discontinuities and bridges is required to define stability conditions fractured masses in both natural engineered environments. Although remote sensing methods for mapping have improved recent years, detection intact on cliff faces remains challenging, with their existence typically confirmed only after failure. In steep exfoliating cliffs, such as El Capitan Yosemite Valley (California, USA), rockfalls mainly occur along cliff-parallel exfoliation joints,...
An investigation into the geotechnical properties specific to assessing stability of weakly and moderately cemented sand cliffs is presented. A case study from eroding coastal located in central California provides both data impetus for this study. Herein, defined as having an unconfined compressive strength (UCS) less than 100 kPa, UCS between 400 kPa. Testing shows that materials fail a brittle fashion can be modeled effectively using linear Mohr-Coulomb parameters, although sands,...
The analysis of steep slope and cliff stability in variably cemented sands poses a significant practical challenge as routine analyses tend to underestimate the actually observed existing slopes. presented research evaluates how degree cementation controls evolution sand slopes shows that detailed geometry is important determining characteristics failure mode, which turn, guide selection an appropriate method. Detailed slope-profile cross sections derived from terrestrial lidar surveying...
Laboratory tests to examine hysteresis in the hydrologic and mechanical properties of partially saturated soils were conducted on six intact specimens collected from a landslide-prone area Alameda County, California. The results reveal that pore-size distribution parameter remains statistically unchanged between wetting drying paths; however, or state has pronounced influence water-entry pressure, water-filled porosity at zero suction, hydraulic conductivity. suction stress values obtained...
Research Article| November 01, 2015 Geotechnical Effects of the Magnitude 7.8 Gorkha, Nepal, Earthquake and Aftershocks Robb E. S. Moss; Moss aCalifornia Polytechnic State University, Department Civil Environmental Engineering 13-217, San Luis Obispo, California 93407-0353 U.S.A. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Eric M. Thompson; Thompson bU.S. Geological Survey, 1711 Illinois Street, Golden, Colorado 80401 U.S.A.emthompson@usgs.gov D. Scott Kieffer; Kieffer cGraz...
Abstract The steep, tectonically active terrain along the Central California (USA) coast is well known to produce deadly and destructive debris flows. However, extent which fire affects debris-flow susceptibility in this region an open question. We documented occurrence of postfire floods flows following landfall a storm that delivered intense rainfall across multiple burn areas. used inventory evaluate predictive performance US Geological Survey M1 likelihood model, tool presently underlies...
Abstract. Rainfall strongly affects landslide triggering; however, understanding how storm characteristics relate to the severity of landslides at regional scale has thus far remained unclear, despite societal benefits that would result from defining this relationship. As mapped inventories typically cover a small region relative system, here we develop dimensionless index for landslide-inducing rainfall, A*, based on extremes modeled soil water its local climatology. We calibrate A* using...
Research Article| January 01, 2013 The sediment budget of an alpine cirque Johnny W. Sanders; Sanders † 1Department Earth and Planetary Science, University California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA †E-mail: jws@eps.berkeley.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kurt M. Cuffey; Cuffey 2Department Geography, Kelly R. MacGregor; MacGregor 3Geology Department, Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota 55105, Brian D. Collins 4U.S. Geological Survey, MS-973 Menlo Park,...
ABSTRACT We analyzed a combination of airborne and terrestrial LiDAR, high‐resolution photography, seismic, acoustic data in order to gain insights into the initiation, dynamics, talus deposition complex rock fall. A large (46 700 m 3 ) fall originated from near Ahwiyah Point eastern Yosemite Valley fell total 730 valley floor on 28 March 2009. Analyses remote sensing, were integrated reconstruct fall, which consisted (1) triggering 25 400 block an area intersecting sometimes highly...
Inventories of rock falls and other types landslides are valuable tools for improving understanding these events. For example, detailed information on is critical identifying mechanisms that trigger falls, quantifying the susceptibility different cliffs to developing magnitude-frequency relations. Further, inventories can assist in relative hazard risk posed by events over both short long time scales. This report describes presents accompanying fall inventory database Yosemite National Park,...