IGPP is pleased to invite you to join its Fall 2023 Seminar Series presentation featuring Caltech's Simone Puel. Dr. Puel's talk, "A Mixed Forward/Inverse Modeling Framework for Earthquake Deformation Problems" will occur at 12pm December 5, 2023.
Time: 12:00 pm, Pacific Time
Location: Munk Conference Room and Zoom https://ucsd.zoom.us/j/93654851631?pwd=eHBzVkRxN3ZZZllxNHlmWXdRZjdEUT09 (password: igpp)
Abstract: Predicting earthquakes and volcanic eruptions in subduction zones poses a challenge due to an incomplete understanding of the underlying physics governing these phenomena. Recent advances in space geodesy and seismic networks offer insights, but a unified, open-source modeling framework is still lacking at present.
To address this gap, I present a flexible and transparent framework that integrates forward and inverse modeling, utilizing adjoints. The framework introduces innovative fault discontinuity implementation, a Green’s function-free fault slip inversion, and a novel method for inferring material structure from surface displacements. A joint inversion of geodetic data allows simultaneous recovery of subduction zone structure and coseismic slip distribution, offering insights into material-fault interplay. Demonstrated on the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake, the framework successfully recovers coseismic slip distribution, revealing weaker material beneath volcanoes in the same region where local coseismic subsidence was reported. This marks a significant advancement in subduction zone modeling, paving the way for improved hazard assessment and risk mitigation strategies.