IGPP is pleased to invite you to join its Virtual Seminar Series presentation featuring Dr. Jeff Freymueller, Endowed Chair of Geology of the Solid Earth Michigan State University. Dr. Freymueller's talk, "Separating long term tectonic motions, surfacing loading and other sources of Earth deformation" will be available via Zoom on Tuesday, May 12, starting at 12:30apm. Zoom registration is available through here: https://ucsd.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJApdOusrD8iGNDCGeDixqXwa3nO9gF2oaOw
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Time: 12:30 pm, Pacific Time
Note: This meeting will be recorded.
Abstract: Plate tectonics is driven by forces internal to the solid Earth, and measuring tectonic motions has been a fruitful focus for geodesy for the last few decades. However, geodetic observations depend not only on long-term tectonic motions, but also on elastic and viscoelastic effects of locked faults and the earthquake cycle. In addition, motions that ultimately result from surface loading (including glacial isostatic adjustment, GIA) also contribute to the measurements, both directly and in subtle indirect ways. As our field moves increasingly to the study of smaller amplitude steady motions and transient, time-dependent fault deformation, identifying these non-tectonic contributions becomes increasingly important. In this talk, I will take a tour around the North American continent to illustrate how these sources of Earth deformation can be separated, and how the continental-scale impact of GIA impacts estimates our estimates of tectonics.