Plate tectonics; marine geophysical studies of plate boundary evolution, stress and deformation in the lithosphere; structural geology and tectonics; remote sensing and volcanic hazards.

Goal: Understanding zones of deformation on Earth and Venus
Long-term plate motion history is required to understand global geodynamics. Short-term motions and studies of active faults reveal how the motion is distributed within plate boundary zones. Venus does not have recognizable plate tectonics but it has young faults and volcanoes that are a clue to its tectonic history.

Examples of current research

• Marine geophysics: Multi channel seismic studies of young faulting and sedimentation in the Centr Gulf alof California
• Field studies of faults and Co2 gas emissions around the Salton Trough, California
• Field geology: Mapping in the Pacific-North America plate boundary zone in Mexico and California, quantifying fault slip history, finite strain & block rotations
• Earth analogs to Venus tectonics, such as regions of active faults, young volcanoes, or orthogonal jointing

Why it matters
Major plate boundaries host earthquakes but also have geothermal energy and petroleum resources. Understanding their structure and development helps with assessing earthquake hazard and resources and yields insights that can be applied to similar fault zones on other continents and similar structures on other planets.