Mostly research and commentary blog of J Ramon Arrowsmith, Professor of Geology in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at Arizona State University. Commentary, ideas, notes on active tectonics, tectonic geomorphology, earthquake geology, natural hazards, cyberinfrastructure for the geosciences, high resolution topography.
I enjoyed the opportunity to present in the spring meeting of the National Academy of Sciences Committee on Solid Earth Geophysics Spring Meeting 2026. The meeting was entitled: Harnessing Massive
Recently, I pulled together some notes for the SCEC UNREST (https://www.scec.org/events/2026-scec-unrest-workshop/) Field trip in the Carrizo Plain. It was a great conversation to share with the
Along with Federica Ferrarini (https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/788263/overview), Nathan Toké (https://loop.frontiersin.org/people/843934/overview), and Michele M. C. Carafa
In May 2019, my colleague Prof. Meenakshi Wadhwa (https://isearch.asu.edu/profile/957644) was appointed
January 12, 2010 was the devastating Haiti earthquake. Many are posting memories and thoughts about the event. Many others have higher quality scientific, engineering, and social science materials.
A M5.7 earthquake occurred this morning and it was widely felt along the northern Wasatch Front. Numerous aftershocks have occurred and will continue. Its characteristics are consistent with the
Even before the COVID-19 crisis changed everything, I was working this semester to build some virtual options for my Field Geology I (GLG451) course. Two students are physically unable to do the
An earthquake occurred in Idaho today 72 km west of Challis Idaho and about 120 km northeast of Boise Idaho. Based on the magnitude and location, I would think that it looks to be a classic Basin and
Petroleum Experts Limited has again provided the School of Earth and Space Exploration with licensed software for 2D and 3D kinematic modelling, geomechanical, fracture, and fault response modeling
An M6.4 earthquake occurred this morning in SW Nevada 56 km west of Tonopah and 202 km ESE of South Lake Tahoe. It was widely but lightly felt across southern Nevada and the central California from
Understanding and interpreting rapidly changing Earth surface processes across a template of a rapidly urbanizing and increasingly connected world is a major challenge. Our ability to observe and
Thank you for this great honor of the Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service (https://www.agu.org/Honor-and-Recognize/Honors/Section-Awards/Silver-Award). Recognition from AGU’s
Introduction We recently visited the Warford Ranch Volcano which is a low shield volcano that is part of the Sentinel-Arlington volcanic field of southwestern Arizona. It is about 3 million years
Overview Our geoscience courses have benefited from plenty of course development, especially lately as we have moved online and virtual. I recently was able to invest SESE (https://sese.asu.edu/)
In my classes and for research, sometimes it is useful to calculate the scalar seismic moment (M0; basically a geometric measure of the total static energy release at a 0th order). It is a function
I became obsessed with diffusion erosion modeling in my PhD work (http://arrowsmith410-598.asu.edu/Lectures/Lecture8/Arrowsmith_Appendix_A_1995.pdf). It is a simple (certainly oversimplified) way to
The Salt River in central Arizona has a spectactular set of fluvial terraces developed along it. I have lead a number of field trips along the Salt River for outreach and most importantly for our
In April 2021, we finished a fairly intensive project: AC GEO Report on Portfolio Review of EAR Seismology and Geodesy Instrumentation (https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=302748&org=GEO).
I heard in late August 2021 that Omar Abdullah was killed in the unrest that is occurring in Ethiopia. I did not learn of any details but he was an embasa--a lion--and no doubt he was there defending
I recently wrote this memorial for the Geological Society of America Structural Geology and Tectonics Division (which I am now beginning my stint as chairman or soon will). That is the reason for the