Projects, Papers, and Presentations Involving ReMi, April 2004

Graduate Theses Directed
Doctor of Philosophy Thesis in Geophysics at the Univ. of Nevada, Reno, by Robert E. Abbott on ``Geophysical constraints on seismic hazard and tectonics in the western Basin and Range,'' defended on Aug. 23, 2001.

Sponsored Research

Seismic monitoring of Yucca Mountain: Evaluation of kappa effects subtask, sponsored by the Dept. of Energy/HRC/NVOO, 10/1/2002-9/30/2004 for $280,000 between 6 PIs.
Improving RELM seismic hazard models with a 45-km shear-velocity profile along the San Gabriel River, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey 2/03-2/04 for $52,000 between 2 PIs.
3-d evaluation of ground-shaking potential in the Las Vegas basin, sponsored by Lawrence Livermore National Lab/US Dept. of Energy 5/02-5/04 for $285,000 between 2 PIs.
Assembly of a crustal seismic velocity database for the Western Great Basin, sponsored by the US Dept. of Energy/Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy 4/02-9/04 for $219,417.
Evolution of the Sierra Nevada - Basin and Range boundary -- tephrochronologic and gravity constraints on the record in Neogene basin deposits, sponsored by the National Science Foundation 6/00-5/01 for $55,182 between 3 PIs.
Analysis of shallow site response to LARSE-2 blasts at precarious rock sites near the San Andreas fault, sponsored by the Southern California Earthquake Center 4/00-3/01 for $10,270 between 3 PIs.
Shallow fault-reflection and site response recording during LARSE-2 , sponsored by the Southern California Earthquake Center 7/99-6/00 for $7,000 field costs, between 3 PIs.
Seismic hazards in the vicinity of Las Vegas and Reno, sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey 1/97-12/97 for $45,000 between 4 PIs.

Publications

  1. S. Ozalaybey, M. K. Savage, A. F. Sheehan, J. N. Louie, and J. N. Brune, 1997, Shear-wave velocity structure in the northern Basin and Range province from the combined analysis of receiver functions and surface waves: Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 87, 183-199.

  2. John N. Louie, 2001, Faster, better: shear-wave velocity to 100 meters depth from refraction microtremor arrays: Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 91, no. 2 (April), 347-364.

  3. John N. Louie, Robert E. Abbott, and Satish Pullammanappallil, 2002, Refraction microtremor and optimization methods as alternatives to boreholes for site strength and earthquake hazard assessments: Proceedings of 15th Annual Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Environmental and Engineering Problems (SAGEEP '02), February 11-13, Las Vegas, Nevada.

  4. J. N. Louie, 2002, Assembly of a crustal seismic velocity database for the western Great Basin: Transactions Geothermal Resources Council, 26, 495-500.

  5. J. B. Scott, M. Clark, T. Rennie, A. Pancha, H. Park and J. N. Louie, 2003, A shallow shear-velocity transect across the Reno, Nevada area basin: submitted to Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., Oct. 7. (6.6 Mb PDF version)

  6. A. Pancha, J. G. Anderson, J. N. Louie, A. Anooshehpoor, and G. Biasi, 2004, Data and simulation of ground motion for Reno, Nevada: submitted to 13th World Conf. on Earthquake Engineering, Vancouver, B.C., Aug. 1-6, paper no. 3452.

  7. Robert E. Abbott, John N. Louie, James N. Brune, and Abdolrasool Anooshehpoor, 2001, Weak ground motion and amplifications predicted from shear-wave velocities at precarious rocks, near the 1857 rupture of the San Andreas fault: submitted to Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 28 August.

Presentations

  1. T. Iwata, H. Kawase, T. Satoh, Y. Kakehi, K. Irikura, J. N. Louie, R. E. Abbott, and J. G. Anderson, 1998, Array microtremor measurements at Reno, Nevada, USA: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union. Fall Mtg., Dec. 6-10, San Francisco.

  2. John N. Louie and Robert E. Abbott, 2000, Shallow shear-velocity structure below strong-motion and precarious-rock sites near the San Andreas fault: presented at So. Calif. Earthquake Ctr. Ann. Mtg., Sept. 18-20, Oxnard, Calif.

  3. R. E. Abbott, J. N. Louie, J. N. Brune, and R. Anooshepoor, 2000, Shallow site response at precariously-balanced rock sites near the San Andreas fault: presented at So. Calif. Earthquake Ctr. Ann. Mtg., Sept. 18-20, Oxnard, Calif.

  4. Robert E. Abbott, Patricia H. Cashman, James H. Trexler, Jr., and John N. Louie, 2000, Gravity survey constraints on the timing and style of extension of the Tertiary Gardnerville basin, western Nevada: presented at the Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Nov. 16, Reno, Nevada; GSA Abstr. with Progr., 32, no. 7, A-508.

  5. John N. Louie, 2000, Obtaining shear-wave velocity structure to 100 meters depth from microtremor recordings on seismic refraction equipment: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 15-19, San Francisco.

  6. R. E. Abbott and J. N. Louie, 2000, High shear wave velocities under precarious rock sites might be enough to explain their existence near the San Andreas fault: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 15-19, San Francisco.

  7. J. Louie, 2001, Shear-Wave Velocities to 100 meters Depth From Refraction Microtremor and Their Relation to ASTM Standards: presented at Seismol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., April 20, San Francisco.

  8. J. N. Louie, R. E. Abbott, R. Anooshepoor, G. Biasi, and H. E. Beeston, 2001, Refraction microtremor and optimization methods for site strength and earthquake hazard assessments: presented at So. Calif. Earthquake Ctr. Ann. Mtg., Sept. 23-26, Oxnard, Calif.

  9. J. N. Louie, R. E. Abbott, R. Anooshepoor, G. Biasi, and H. E. Beeston, 2001, Refraction microtremor as an alternative to boreholes for earthquake hazard assessments: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 10-14, San Francisco.

  10. J. N. Louie, R. E. Abbott, and S. Pullamanappallil, 2002, Refraction microtremor and optimization methods as alternatives to boreholes for site strength and earthquake hazard assessments: presented at the 15th Annual Symposium on the Application of Geophysics to Environmental and Engineering Problems (SAGEEP 2002), Feb. 11-13, Las Vegas.

  11. Jim B. Scott, Matthew Clark, and John N. Louie, 2002, Shallow shear-velocity profile across the Reno basin: presented at Soc. Explor. Geophys. Ann. Internat. Mtg., Oct. 10, Salt Lake City.

  12. Aline Concha-Dimas, Tiana Rasmussen, John N. Louie, Shane Smith, and Wes Thelen, 2002, Las Vegas Basin Seismic Response Project: Developing a community velocity model for NTS and Las Vegas: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 9, San Francisco; EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 83, suppl. to no. 47 (19 Nov.), F1055.

  13. J. Scott, M. Clark, and J. Louie, 2002, Shallow shear-velocity profile across the Reno basin: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 9, San Francisco; EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 83, suppl. to no. 47 (19 Nov.), F1055.

  14. A. Pancha, J. Louie, and J. G. Anderson, 2002, Reno area basin seismic response: Ground motion simulation in Reno, Nevada: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 9, San Francisco; EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 83, suppl. to no. 47 (19 Nov.), F1055.

  15. Barbara Luke, John Louie, Harold E. Beeston, Vance Skidmore, and Aline Concha, 2002, Las Vegas Basin Seismic Response Project: Measured shallow soil velocities: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., Dec. 9, San Francisco; EOS Trans. Amer. Geophys. Union, 83, suppl. to no. 47 (19 Nov.), F1054.

  16. Weston Thelen, John Louie, Matthew Clark, and Jim B. Scott, 2003, Geophysics and paleoseismology: the signature of active faults in the Great Basin: poster presented at the XVI INQUA Congress, July 23-30, Reno, Nevada.

  17. D. McEwan, C. M. Snelson, H. Tkalcic, A. Rodgers, and J. N. Louie, 2003, Investigating the Las Vegas Valley: analyses from the Las Vegas Valley broadband array using differential travel time residuals and inter-station phase velocities: presented at Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Seattle, Nov. 2-5. Co-investigator.

  18. J. M. Muehlberg, R. A. Schweickert, and J. N. Louie, 2003, Stratigraphic and geophysical studies of the Tahoe City sub-basin, Lake Tahoe, California: presented at Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Seattle, Nov. 2-5. Co-investigator and course instructor.

  19. T. Rasmussen, S. B. Smith, and J. Louie, 2003, Shallow shear velocity and seismic microzonation of the Las Vegas urban basin: presented at Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Seattle, Nov. 2-5. Principal investigator and student advisor.

  20. A. Rodgers, D. McCallen, S. Larsen, H. Tkalcic, L. Hutchings, C. Snelson, W. Taylor, B. Luke, J. Anderson, and J. Louie, 2003, The Las Vegas Valley seismic response project: presented at Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Seattle, Nov. 2-5. Co-investigator.

  21. W. A. Thelen, J. N. Louie, and R. J. Watters, 2003, Shallow geophysical characterization of the Mt. St. Helens edifice: presented at Geol. Soc. Amer. Ann. Mtg., Seattle, Nov. 2-5. Co-investigator and student advisor.

  22. J. M. Muehlberg, R. A. Schweickert, J. McHugh, T. Rasmussen, and J. N. Louie, 2003, Geophysical studies of seismic hazard in the Tahoe City sub-basin, Lake Tahoe, California: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Co-investigator and student advisor.

  23. J. B. Scott, M. Clark, T. W. Rennie, A. Pancha, H. Park, M. Purvance, and J. N. Louie, 2003, Shaking hazard predictors in the Reno, Nevada area basin: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Principal investigator and student advisor.

  24. A. Pancha, J. N. Louie, and J. G. Anderson, 2003, Las Vegas Valley seismic response project: quantification of basin response using 2-d finite-difference ground motion simulations: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Principal investigator and student advisor.

  25. T. Rasmussen, S. B. Smith, M. Clark, C. Lopez, C. Loughner, H. Park, J. B. Scott, W. Thelen, B. Greschke, and J. Louie, 2003, Shallow shear velocity and seismic microzonation of the Las Vegas urban basin: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Principal investigator and student advisor.

  26. W. J. Taylor, E. Fossett, B. Luke, C. Snelson, T. Rasmussen, D. McCallen, A. Rodgers, and J. Louie, 2003, Quaternary faults and basin-fill sediments of the Las Vegas basin, southern Nevada: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Co-investigator and student advisor.

  27. W. A. Thelen, M. Clark, C. Lopez, C. Loughner, H. Park, J. B. Scott, S. B. Smith, B. Greschke, and J. N. Louie, 2003, A transect of 200 shallow shear-velocity profiles across the Los Angeles basin: presented at Amer. Geophys. Union Fall Mtg., San Francisco, Dec. 8-12. Principal investigator and student advisor.

  28. W. A. Thelen, M. Clark, C. Lopez, C. Loughner, H. Park, J. B. Scott, S. B. Smith, B. Greschke, and J. N. Louie, 2004, A transect of 200 shallow shear-velocity profiles across the Los Angeles basin: submitted to the Seismol. Soc. of Amer. Ann. Mtg., Palm Springs, April 14-16.

  29. J. N. Louie, J. B. Scott, T. Rasmussen, W. Thelen, A. Pancha, M. Clark, H. Park,and C. T. Lopez, 2004, Shallow shear-velocity transects of urban areas, and seismic-hazard mapping: submitted to the Seismol. Soc. of Amer. Ann. Mtg., Palm Springs, April 14-16.

  30. John N. Louie, Aasha Pancha, Glenn P. Biasi, Weston Thelen, James B. Scott, Mark F. Coolbaugh, and Shawn Larsen, 2004, Tests and applications of 3-d geophysical model assembly: submitted to Expanded Abstracts, Soc. of Explor. Geophys. 74th Annual Internat. Meeting, Oct. 10-15, Denver, Colorado. (385 kb PDF)

  31. James B. Scott, John N. Louie, Tiana Rasmussen, Weston A. Thelen, Aasha Pancha, Matthew Clark, Hyunmee Park, and Christopher T. Lopez, 2004, Three urban shear-velocity transects using the refraction microtremor method: submitted to Expanded Abstracts, Soc. of Explor. Geophys. 74th Annual Internat. Meeting, Oct. 10-15, Denver, Colorado. (2.1 Mb PDF)