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DOE OSTI2022

Achievements and Prospects of Global Broadband Seismographic Networks After 30 Years of Continuous Geophysical Observations

Global seismographic networks (GSNs) emerged during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, facilitated by seminal international developments in theory, technology, instrumentation, and data exchange. The mid- to late-twentieth century saw the creation of the World-Wide Standardized Seismographic Network (1961) and International Deployment of Accelerometers (1976), which advanced global geographic coverage as seismometer bandwidth increased greatly allowing for the recording of the Earth's principal seismic spectrum. The modern era of global observations and rapid data access began during the 1980s, and notably included the inception of the GEOSCOPE initiative (1982) and GSN (1988). Through continual improvements, GEOSCOPE and the GSN have realized near-real time recording of ground motion with state-of-art data quality, dynamic range, and timing precision to encompass 180 seismic stations, many in very remote locations. Data from GSNs are increasingly integrated with other geophysical data (e.g., space geodesy, infrasound and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar). Globally distributed seismic data are critical to resolving crust, mantle, and core structure; illuminating features of the plate tectonic and mantle convection system; rapid characterization of earthquakes; identification of potential tsunamis; global nuclear test verification; and provide sensitive proxies for environmental changes. As the global geosciences community continues to advance our understanding of Earth structure and processes controlling elastic wave propagation, GSN infrastructure offers a springboard to realize increasingly multi-instrument geophysical observatories. Here, we review the historical, scientific, and monitoring heritage of GSNs, summarize key discoveries, and discuss future associated opportunities for Earth Science.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Autonomous extraction of millimeter-scale deformation in InSAR time series using deep learning

Systematically characterizing slip behaviours on active faults is key to unraveling the physics of tectonic faulting and the interplay between slow and fast earthquakes. Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR), by enabling measurement of ground deformation at a global scale every few days, may hold the key to those interactions. However, atmospheric propagation delays often exceed ground deformation of interest despite state-of-the art processing, and thus InSAR analysis requires expert interpretation and a priori knowledge of fault systems, precluding global investigations of deformation dynamics. Here, we show that a deep auto-encoder architecture tailored to untangle ground deformation from noise in InSAR time series autonomously extracts deformation signals, without prior knowledge of a fault’s location or slip behaviour. Applied to InSAR data over the North Anatolian Fault, our method reaches 2 mm detection, revealing a slow earthquake twice as extensive as previously recognized. We further explore the generalization of our approach to inflation/deflation-induced deformation, applying the same methodology to the geothermal field of Coso, California.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2025

Osmotic control of the spacing of parallel shear cracks in shale growing subcritically in geologic past

The geological genesis of natural cracks in sedimentary rocks such as shale is a problem that needs to be understood to improve the technology of hydraulic fracturing as well as deep sequestration of harmful fluids. Why are the vertical natural cracks roughly parallel and equidistant, and why is the spacing roughly 10 cm rather than 1 cm or 100 cm? Fracture mechanics of critical cracks cannot answer this question. Neither can the material heterogeneity. The growth of critical parallel cracks is impossible because the relative crack face displacements would immediately localize into one crack, leading to an earthquake. The cracks must have formed, on the tectonic time scale, by a slow growth of subcritical shear cracks governed by the Charles-Evans law. The idea advanced here is that what controls the crack spacing is the balance between the reduction, due to shear dilatancy, of the concentration of ions such as Na + and Cl - in each fracture process zone (PFZ), which decelerates the cracks, and the restoration of ion concentration by diffusion of ions from the space between the cracks into the FPZ. This diffusion of water is driven mainly by the osmotic pressure gradient, which offsets the deceleration and depends strongly on the crack spacing. A simple analytical solution of the steady state is rendered possible by approximating the ion concentration profiles between adjacent cracks by parabolic arcs. Applying this theory to Woodford shale yields the approximate crack spacing of 10 cm, which is realistic. Furthermore, the stability of unlimited parallel mode II frictional crack growth is proven by examining the second variation of the free energy. Water concentration drop in the FPZ due to shear dilatancy and its restoration by water diffusion from the inter-crack space have similar effect, although probably much weaker.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

A continuum meshfree method for sandbox-style numerical modeling of accretionary and doubly vergent wedges

Here, in this study, we introduce and utilize GEOSPH, a Lagrangian particle-based continuum Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) code to simulate the deformation of geologic materials in sandbox-style experiments using an elastoplastic constitutive model. Due to the meshfree nature of SPH, our proposed framework is capable of handling the large deformations characteristic of sandbox-style experiments. SPH is also able to capture strain localization and discontinuities, allowing us to resolve faulting patterns emerging in the sandbox experiments. We successfully validate our SPH implementation against the benchmark experiments of Buiter and co-workers, and then apply SPH to understand the deformational processes occurring in doubly vergent orogens resultant from the S-point experimental setup and from finitely high wedge-like indenter backstops of different inclinations. We find that the topographic slope of the prowedge results from the competing processes of vertical uplift due to the indenter and forward thrusting, while the topographic slope of the retrowedge is a product of repeated shallow slope failure. Our findings show that SPH is a promising numerical method which should be added to the current palette of computational tools used by structural geologists for solving problems relating to tectonics and crustal deformation.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Magmatic, hydrothermal and ore element transfer processes of the southeastern Archean Superior Province implied from electrical resistivity structure

Although magmatic- and metamorphic- derived fluids are widely recognized mineralizing agents, the role of crustal architecture in defining source and sink zones within the middle to lower crust and upper mantle of ancient orogens remains enigmatic. The globally largest and best-preserved Archean greenstone belts lie in the Superior Province, Canada. They provide an ideal location to investigate the influence of igneous construction and subsequent syn-deformational plutonism and metamorphism on the localization of metal-rich melts and fluids throughout the crustal column. Integration of three-dimensional magnetotelluric modelling and seismic reflection sections across the Abitibi subprovince reveals details of a 'whole-of-crust' magmatic and hydrothermal system. East-west low resistivity structures broadly underlie the surface traces of the major deformation zones that are host to significant gold endowment (>200 Moz), while mid-crustal cross trends suggest mineralized fluids flowed along 'pipes' within fault planes. Most low resistivity structures are inferred to represent domains containing interconnected zones of graphite and/or sulfide. Furthermore, these delineate relict mantle source/transit domains and crustal pathways enriched by the flow of magmas or metamorphic fluids genetically related to a late-stage pulse of ore-bearing magmatism, possibly as a result of slab break-off or delamination. Using the combined MT and seismic data, we develop a 3-D crustal-scale model which highlights how evolving orogenic architecture-controlled mass transfer and metallogenic processes developed.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

EQSIM: Exascale Predictions of Earthquake Effects on Critical Infrastructure

The great “San Francisco” earthquake of 1906 is one of the most recognized, and sobering, demonstrations of the havoc that can be caused by the sudden and violent movement of Earth’s tectonic plates. The estimated 7.9-magnitude quake and subsequent fires decimated the major metropolis and surrounding areas: buildings turned to ruins, hundreds of thousands of people left homeless, and a death toll exceeding 3,000. Today, as evidenced by the catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck Turkey in February 2023, these events still present a significant danger to life and economic security. To mitigate the potential devastation of future earthquakes and better prepare for these inevitable events, researchers are turning to high-performance computers to simulate the underlying geophysical processes and accurately quantify associated risks to critical infrastructure.

42 ENGINEERING↗

DOE OSTI2021

The stability of subducted glaucophane with the Earth’s secular cooling

The blueschist to eclogite transition is one of the major geochemical–metamorphic processes typifying the subduction zone, which releases fluids triggering earthquakes and arc volcanism. Although glaucophane is an index hydrous mineral for the blueschist facies, its stability at mantle depths in diverse subduction regimes of contemporary and early Earth has not been experimentally determined. Here, we show that the maximum depth of glaucophane stability increases with decreasing thermal gradients of the subduction system. Along cold subduction geotherm, glaucophane remains stable down ca. 240 km depth, whereas it dehydrates and breaks down at as shallow as ca. 40 km depth under warm subduction geotherm or the Proterozoic tectonic setting. Our results imply that secular cooling of the Earth has extended the stability of glaucophane and consequently enabled the transportation of water into deeper interior of the Earth, suppressing arc magmatism, volcanism, and seismic activities along subduction zones.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2023

All scales must be considered to understand rifts

Feedbacks between chemical, physical, and biological processes at rift zones evolve through various time (seconds to 10 7 yrs) and spatial (microns to 10 6 m) scales. Here, we discuss how consideration of these scales is needed to tap rift energy, water, and mineral resources safely and equitably while preserving biodiversity in these changing settings.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

A theoretical/computational framework to measure SiO2 and MgO viscosity at high pressure

The convection of the mantle of Earth and super-Earths is important for many terrestrial phenomena, from plate tectonics to outgassing. Rheological properties, such as viscosity, regulate the transport of thermal energy and mass. However, the viscosity of mantle-relevant materials, such as MgO, at relevant pressures (>120 GPa) are not well constrained. The objective of this work was to develop a computational platform to simulate novel experiments aiming to measure the viscosity of MgO at high pressures. Experiments performed by our collaborators at Johns Hopkins University and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory use the OMEGA EP laser facility to shock a corrugated MgO interface to 170 GPa, with resulting velocity evolution governed by the viscous Richtmyer-Meshkov instability. We used an in-house hydrocode to simulate this process and thus provide a bound on viscosity by comparing our simulations results to these experiments, as well as to examine the physical processes at play. We simulated the experiments with different values of MgO viscosity (from inviscid to 10,000 Pa∙s) while taking into account the unsteady laser pulse, the material's equation of state, and the rate-dependent constitutive relation for MgO, and the materials' equations of state. Our results suggest that MgO at these conditions has a viscosity within an order of magnitude of 5000 Pa∙s.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

The glass-ceiling convective regime and the origin and diversity of coronae on Venus

Venus and Earth are rocky planets of roughly the same size and bulk density, yet their surface volcanic and tectonic features appear substantially different. On Venus, the coexistence of large volcanic highlands—interpreted as the surface expression of long-lived mantle plumes—alongside coronae, smaller features thought to be caused by transient thermal diapirs, remains enigmatic. Using two-dimensional numerical models of mantle convection with sharp and broad mineral phase transitions for pyrolite, we show that both scales of upwellings can be generated in a stagnant lid planet with an interior temperature 250 to 400 K warmer than Earth’s. The smaller plumes originate from a ~600 km deep internal layer that exists as a consequence of the different sequence of mineral phase transitions that occur in warmer mantles less processed and differentiated by partial melting and volcanism. Future models that include melting will provide further tests of our hypothesis.

Science & Technology - Other Topics↗

DOE OSTI2023

The evolution of soil microstructure and micromineralogy along a soil age gradient on the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador)

The islands of the Galápagos archipelago are of different ages due to the combination of a geostationary volcanic hotspot and the eastward movement of the Nazca tectonic plate. Taking advantage of this, a soil chronosequence (1.5–1070 ka) has recently been established covering four of the islands. This was used to investigate the temporal development of soil microstructure and micromineralogy using micromorphological methods in combination with synchrotron-based mineralogical and geochemical microanalyses. Along the chronosequence, the microstructure changed from intergrain microaggregates in the young soils to angular blocky microaggregates in the older soils. In the young soils, a high amount of vitric scoria and weatherable minerals occur, but they quickly disappear with age, and micromass increased fast. The micromorphological studies as well as micro-XRD and micro-XRF revealed increasing heterogeneity of soil microstructure and micromineralogy due to weathering and pedogenic processes until intermediate soil age. In the oldest soils, the microstructure became more uniform again, de-mixing pedofeatures like clay coatings have completely disappeared, and kaolinite, hematite and gibbsite dominate the mineralogical composition. Our study shows that the development of soil microstructure mirrors macroscopic soil profile development showing increasing differentiation until intermediate developmental stages and receding heterogeneity in highly weathered soils.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2020

Nowcasting Earthquakes in Southern California With Machine Learning: Bursts, Swarms, and Aftershocks May Be Related to Levels of Regional Tectonic Stress

Abstract Seismic bursts in Southern California are sequences of small earthquakes strongly clustered in space and time and include seismic swarms and aftershock sequences. A readily observable property of these events, the radius of gyration ( R G ), allows us to connect the bursts to the temporal occurrence of the largest M ≥ 7 earthquakes in California since 1984. In the Southern California earthquake catalog, we identify hundreds of these potentially coherent space‐time structures in a region defined by a circle of radius 600 km around Los Angeles. We compute R G for each cluster then filter them to identify those bursts with large numbers of events closely clustered in space, which we call “compact” bursts. Our basic assumption is that these compact bursts reflect the dynamics associated with large earthquakes. Once we have filtered the burst catalog, we apply an exponential moving average to construct a time series for the Southern California region. We observe that the R G of these bursts systematically decreases prior to large earthquakes, in a process that we might term “radial localization.” The R G then rapidly increases during an aftershock sequence, and a new cycle of “radial localization” then begins. These time series display cycles of recharge and discharge reminiscent of seismic stress accumulation and release in the elastic rebound process. The complex burst dynamics we observe are evidently a property of the region as a whole, rather than being associated with individual faults. This new method allows us to improve earthquake nowcasting, which is a technique to evaluate the current state of hazard in a seismically active region.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2026

Constructing a High‐Resolution Aftershock Catalog for the 2017 Mw 8.2 Tehuantepec Earthquake Sequence Using a Machine Learning–Based Workflow

The 8 September 2017 Mw 8.2 Tehuantepec earthquake was the largest instrumentally recorded normal‐faulting earthquake in Mexico. The mainshock occurred offshore within the Tehuantepec seismic gap, generating >30,000 aftershocks in the following year. We applied an open‐source, machine learning (ML)–assisted workflow to construct a high‐resolution aftershock catalog using data from temporary and permanent seismic networks in southern Mexico. The workflow integrates PhaseNet for phase detection; GaMMA for phase association; and VELEST, HypoInverse, and HypoDD for velocity modeling and relocation. We processed seven months of continuous waveform data from 29 broadband stations, including a temporary rapid‐response deployment that improved station coverage of the offshore rupture zone. To evaluate performance, we compared our results against analyst‐reviewed picks and event locations from the Servicio Sismológico Nacional catalog. The resulting catalog contains 11,374 relocated earthquakes and represents the most comprehensive published dataset for this sequence, incorporating the first full use of the temporary network. Relocated hypocenters show improved depth control and align well with the Slab2.0 subduction geometry, revealing clearer separation between offshore slab events and onshore crustal seismicity. This study demonstrates that combining ML‐based detection with established methods provides a scalable and reproducible approach for constructing high‐quality earthquake catalogs in tectonically complex environments and offers practical guidance for adapting similar workflows to other earthquake sequences.

Garcia, Marc [The University of Texas at El Paso, ↗

DOE OSTI2022

Imaging the crust and uppermost mantle structure of Portugal (West Iberia) with seismic ambient noise

SUMMARY We present a new high-resolution 3-D shear wave velocity (Vs) model of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath Portugal, inferred from ambient seismic noise tomography. We use broad-band seismic data from a dense temporary deployment covering the entire Portuguese mainland between 2010 and 2012 in the scope of the WILAS project. Vertical component data are processed using phase correlation and phase weighted stack to obtain empirical Green functions (EGFs) for 2016 station pairs. Further, we use a random sampling and subset stacking strategy to measure robust Rayleigh-wave group velocities in the period range 7–30 s and associated uncertainties. The tomographic inversion is performed in two steps: First, we determine group-velocity lateral variations for each period. Next, we invert them at each grid point using a new trans-dimensional inversion scheme to obtain the 3-D shear wave velocity model. The final 3-D model extends from the upper crust (5 km) down to the uppermost mantle (60 km) and has a lateral resolution of ∼50 km. In the upper and middle crusts, the Vs anomaly pattern matches the tectonic units of the Variscan Massif and Alpine basins. The transition between the Lusitanian Basin and the Ossa Morena Zone is marked by a contrast between moderate- and high-velocity anomalies, in addition to two arched earthquake lineations. Some faults, namely, the Manteigas–Vilariça–Bragança fault and the Porto–Tomar–Ferreira do Alentejo fault, have a clear signature from the upper crust down to the uppermost mantle (60 km). Our 3-D shear wave velocity model offers new insights into the continuation of the main tectonic units at depth and contributes to better understanding the seismicity of Portugal.

Silveira, Graça (ORCID:0000000221102554)↗

DOE OSTI2022

Estella Atekwana: Autobiographical Notes

I describe my career journey from a young girl in Cameroon, West Africa, to a trailblazing geophysicist to my current role as dean. I chronicle my time as a student, the transition to being an early career faculty, launching my research career, and ultimately finding my way to administration. Along the way I helped pioneer biogeophysics as a subdiscipline in geophysics while simultaneously maintaining an international research program in continental rift tectonics. I also describe the many intersectionalities in my life including being the first Black woman in many spaces, being a champion for student success, developing a diverse talent pipeline by enhancing diversity in the geosciences, and navigating academic job searches as part of a dual-career couple. Finally, I acknowledge all those who helped shape my career including the many students I had the opportunity to mentor. • Many underrepresented minority geoscientists lack the social capital and professional networks critical for their success. • Geoscience departments must be intentional and deliberate in promoting and ensuring more inclusive workplace environments. • Dual-career couples remain a major challenge, impacting retention and recruitment of top talent; universities should provide resources to alleviate this challenge. • Biogeophysics has untapped potential for advancing understanding of subsurface biogeochemical processes and the search for life in extreme environments. • To date, considerable speculation remains regarding the fundamental geodynamic processes that initiate and sustain the evolution of magma-deficient rifts.

99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS↗

DOE OSTI2020

Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks: A Rising Class of Porous Molecular Materials

Hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) are a class of porous molecular materials that rely on the assembly of organic building blocks by means of hydrogen-bonding interactions to form two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) crystalline networks. The reversible nature of the hydrogen-bond formation endows HOFs with the attributes of solution processability and simple regeneration. High-quality single crystals of HOFs can be grown easily for unambiguous superstructure determination by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which is crucial for the elucidation of superstructure–property relationships. During the past decade, considerable progress has been achieved in realizing stable HOFs with permanent porosities by focusing on the design of molecular building blocks in order to introduce rigidity, auxiliary [π···π] interactions, and interpenetration of their frameworks to sustain the extended networks. The applications of HOFs are far-reaching, spanning catalysis, energy, and biomedical products as well as the storage and separation of fine chemicals. In this paper, we, first of all, provide an overview of the chronological development of HOFs, starting from the seminal work by Marsh and Duchamp in 1969 on the crystal superstructure of the hydrogen-bonded networks of trimesic acid. We identify the development of novel hydrogen-bonding motifs such as diaminotriazine (DTA), the introduction of the concept of molecular tectonics, and the establishment of permanent porosity in HOFs as being some of the milestones, which incentivized the current burgeoning research endeavors on developing HOFs as multifunctional materials. This Account is focused primarily on surveying the strategies for constructing porous 3D HOFs based on organic building blocks with peripheral carboxyl groups. These strategies are presented in the following categories: (1) the polycatenation of 2D networks by trigonal building blocks to form global 3D frameworks, (2) the utilization of building blocks with 3D geometries—tetrahedral and trigonal prismatic—that are predisposed to form 3D networks, and (3) the docking by shape-fitting of geometrically labile building blocks. We emphasize how the molecular geometry of the building blocks plays an important role in modulating the superstructures of extended frameworks so as to address specific applications. Recognizing that the in silico design of HOFs is the ultimate goal of researchers in this field, we also discuss the recent advances in superstructure prediction that lead to the formation of porous supramolecular crystals and assess the complications in implementing computational methods for HOFs with complex superstructures. We hope this Account will inspire the development of new supramolecular designs and creative approaches to crystal engineering that aid and abet the assembly of multifunctional HOFs with customizable properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2022

Global centroid moment tensor solutions in a heterogeneous earth: the CMT3D catalogue

SUMMARY For over 40 yr, the global centroid-moment tensor (GCMT) project has determined location and source parameters for globally recorded earthquakes larger than magnitude 5.0. The GCMT database remains a trusted staple for the geophysical community. Its point-source moment-tensor solutions are the result of inversions that model long-period observed seismic waveforms via normal-mode summation for a 1-D reference earth model, augmented by path corrections to capture 3-D variations in surface wave phase speeds, and to account for crustal structure. While this methodology remains essentially unchanged for the ongoing GCMT catalogue, source inversions based on waveform modelling in low-resolution 3-D earth models have revealed small but persistent biases in the standard modelling approach. Keeping pace with the increased capacity and demands of global tomography requires a revised catalogue of centroid-moment tensors (CMT), automatically and reproducibly computed using Green's functions from a state-of-the-art 3-D earth model. In this paper, we modify the current procedure for the full-waveform inversion of seismic traces for the six moment-tensor parameters, centroid latitude, longitude, depth and centroid time of global earthquakes. We take the GCMT solutions as a point of departure but update them to account for the effects of a heterogeneous earth, using the global 3-D wave speed model GLAD-M25. We generate synthetic seismograms from Green's functions computed by the spectral-element method in the 3-D model, select observed seismic data and remove their instrument response, process synthetic and observed data, select segments of observed and synthetic data based on similarity, and invert for new model parameters of the earthquake’s centroid location, time and moment tensor. The events in our new, preliminary database containing 9382 global event solutions, called CMT3D for ‘3-D centroid-moment tensors’, are on average 4 km shallower, about 1 s earlier, about 5 per cent larger in scalar moment, and more double-couple in nature than in the GCMT catalogue. We discuss in detail the geographical and statistical distributions of the updated solutions, and place them in the context of earlier work. We plan to disseminate our CMT3D solutions via the online ShakeMovie platform.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2022

Basin and Range Investigation for Developing Geothermal Energy: Exploration Data

This data package includes exploration material from the Basin & Range Investigation for Developing Geothermal Energy [in Hidden Systems] project (BRIDGE), which is part of a broader initiative to advance the exploration of hidden geothermal resources in the Basin & Range Province of the western U.S. Data modalities include a helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic survey, magnetotellurics, 2-meter temperature measurements, ground-based gravity and legacy aeromagnetic surveys, geochemistry, geologic mapping, LiDAR analysis, 3D models, associated geospatial data, and a bibliography of existing data and references utilized in prospect characterization and conceptual modeling. Key files are in CSV, Geosoft, and Geotools formats. Please refer to READMEs for dataset-specific information. Where applicable, acquisition data and inversion models for a particular prospect or area of interest are organized separately. This BRIDGE data package is the product of a collaboration led by Sandia National Laboratories with partners from Geologica Geothermal Group, Inc., the U.S. Navy Geothermal Program Office, and consultants Steven Sewell (Australis Geoscience Ltd) and William Cumming (Cumming Geoscience). The project's areas of interest (AOIs) are based off priority areas of interest in the southwestern portion of the Nevada Play Fairway map, distribution across tectonic provinces, accessibility, and the project team's extensive experience in the region. AOIs cover about a dozen basins that include unexplored prospects, partially explored prospects, and some developed analogue resources that provide validation cases. Many unexplored and partially explored prospects are on U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) land, though adjacent lands are included as well.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗