Pan American Advanced Sciences Institute On Geophysical Research: New Tools and Techniques for Earthquake Hazard Analysis & Mitigation; Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, July 2013

Earthscope Consortium Inc., Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This Pan-American Advanced Studies Institutes (PASI) award, jointly supported by the NSF and the Department of Energy (DOE), will take place in July 2013 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The organizing committee for this PASI includes the Principal Investigator, David W. Simpson (Incorporated Research Institutions in Seismology IRIS), as well as Jay Pulliam (Baylor University, USA), John Louie (University of Nevada, Reno, USA), Olga Cabello (IRIS), Morgan Moschetti (U.S. Geological Survey), Michael Schmitz (FUNVISIS, Venezuela), Lyndon Brown (University of the West Indies, Mona,Jamaica), Carlos Valdes Gonzalez (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico), Walter Salazer (University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago), Eugenio Polanco (Universidad Autonoma de Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), Marino Protti (Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica), Victor Huerfano (University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, USA), and Mauricio Mora (Universidad de Costa Rica). The institute will address modern strategies for earthquake hazard analysis with a focus on techniques for seismic site characterization, which is a critical component of lessening earthquake hazards. The basic methodology is comprised of source modeling, wave propagation, and local site characterization, which consists of measuring the local geological and geotechnical factors that potentially affect earthquake shaking at a particular site. This PASI will discuss all three components of earthquake hazard analysis but will focus on site characterization because it has been undergoing rapid development in response to new technologies and new datasets. The institute offers an opportunity to spread awareness of the new techniques to researchers and practitioners in Middle America. A small field experiment, will serve as an evaluation of a subset of techniques, and demonstrate practical data acquisition, field logistics, and analysis strategies. Simple and effective seismic site characterization is a vital component of hazard mitigation in earthquake prone areas throughout the developing world. This PASI will disseminate knowledge of earthquake hazard analysis strategies to a group of junior seismologists, which they can put to use immediately in their own countries. By so doing, it will also help to promote international research collaborations. All data acquired during the PASI will be contributed to the NSF-supported IRIS Data Management Center in Seattle, WA.