TOM ROCKWELL

Research Interests

My primary focus in recent years has been split between general neotectonic studies and the more specialized subfield of paleoseismology. Neotectonics is the study of active crustal deformation and usually involves resolution of the senses and rates of fault slip for both surface and blind faults. Paleoseismology is the study of past earthquakes, usually prehistoric, using geologic means such as trenching. Both diciplines are highly field oriented.

I am particularly interested in what paleoseismology can tell us about how faults behave, whether earthquakes recur in a predictable fashion, and what the hazard associated with specific fault zones is. Much of my recent work has been overseas (Turkey, Israel, Mongolia, Argentina), and I expect that to continue to a large degree. I also continue to work on faults in southern California and northern Mexico.

Tom Rockwell's Informational Page

Last modified: 11 November 1997

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