Dr Zoe Mildon, Dr J Johnson, Dr I Manzella, Prof Mark Anderson
No more applications being accepted
Funded PhD Project (Students Worldwide)
About the Project
This project will investigate how tectonic stress in a fault system varies over time and whether it affects the location, timing and magnitude of a sequence of damaging earthquakes. This will have implications for understanding why earthquake sequences happen and how the hazard and risk varies.
Earthquake sequences, where several damaging events occur over a few weeks in the same area, are difficult to incorporate into seismic hazard calculations because the driving factors behind why they happen are poorly understood. For the 2016 central Italy earthquake sequence, it’s been suggested that the state of stress before the beginning of the earthquake sequence may affect the timing and location of large (M>6.0) earthquakes (1). Measuring the in-situ stress state of the crust is challenging experimentally, but prior studies have shown this is possible by studying localised microseismicity and seismic anisotropy (2). In addition, features of the microseismicity may change throughout a sequence, such as the magnitude, temporal/spatial clustering or the b-value (describes the ratio of large to small earthquakes). These changes are poorly understood but could be used to quantify potential pre-cursors for large and damaging events, and ultimately understand why earthquake sequence occur.
Research Methodology
The candidate will learn to use a variety of computer-based modelling and analysis, including waveform picking, analysing crustal anisotropy, modelling stress transfer, and applying machine learning to geological data. The candidate will spend time at UEA throughout the PhD to learn from the co-supervisor.
Training
The candidate will learn to utilise, develop and write code to locate earthquakes, calculate seismic anisotropy and model stress evolution. Machine learning will be utilised which has applications to several different fields in academia and industry. All training will be provided by the supervisory team.
Person Specification
We are looking for applicants with a degree in Geology, Geophysics or Physics and an interest in understanding earthquake hazard. The candidate should be numerically literate, experience of using Matlab or Python and familiarity with Linux is desirable but not essential.
Funding Notes
Successful candidates meeting UKRI’s eligibility criteria are awarded a studentship covering fees, stipend (£15,285 p.a., 2020-21) and research funding. International applicants (EU/non-EU) are eligible for funded studentships. Funding doesn’t
cover visa costs (including immigration health surcharge) or costs of relocation.
Excellent applicants from quantitative disciplines with limited experience in environmental sciences may be considered for additional 3-month stipend for advanced-level courses.
ARIES is committed to equality, diversity, widening participation and inclusion. We encourage enquiries/applications regardless of gender, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, transgender status. Academic qualifications are considered alongside significant relevant non-academic experience.
See www.aries-dtp.ac.uk for details
References
1. Mildon, Z. K., Roberts, G. P., Faure Walker, J. P., & Iezzi, F. (2017). Coulomb stress transfer and fault interaction over millennia on non-planar active normal faults: the M w 6.5–5.0 seismic sequence of 2016–2017, central Italy. Geophysical Journal International, 210(2), 1206-1218.
2. Johnson, J. H., Savage, M. K., & Townend, J. (2011). Distinguishing between stress‐induced and structural anisotropy at Mount Ruapehu Volcano, New Zealand. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 116(B12).
3. Mildon, Z. K., Toda, S., Faure Walker, J. P., & Roberts, G. P. (2016). Evaluating models of Coulomb stress transfer: Is variable fault geometry important?. Geophysical Research Letters, 43(24), 12-407.
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