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Ramon Arrowsmith

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School Of Earth and Space Exploration
Professor
Faculty w/Admin Appointment, TEMPE Campus, Mailcode 6004
Biography: 

Ramon Arrowsmith has been at Arizona State University since 1995 where he teaches field geology, structural geology, geomorphology, and computers in earth and space exploration. He has more than 20 years experience studying the earthquake geology, paleoseismology, and geomorphology of fault zones and publishing about their history of activity and hazards. He is cofounder and co-PI of the OpenTopography effort—a portal to the largest collection of freely available high resolution topography data (http://www.opentopography.org/).

He has lead many short courses, workshops, and visioning activities emphasizing high resolution topographic data and tectonic geomorphology. He and his students research on active faulting, earthquake geology, tectonic geomorphology, and the geologic framework for human origins. He has held a number of administrative positions in the ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) including associate chair (of Geological Sciences Department), associate directors of graduate studies and of pperations, and is currently the deputy director of SESE.

CV
Binary Data Curriculum Vitae
Education: 
  • Ph.D. Geological and Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 1995, supervised by David D. Pollard. Dissertation title: ``Coupled Tectonic Deformation and Geomorphic Degradation along the San Andreas Fault System.''
  • B.S. Geology and Spanish (Summa Cum Laude), Whittier College, 1989, supervised by Dallas D. Rhodes. Senior Thesis: ``Geomorphic Responses in Ephemeral Channels to Strike-slip Faulting along the San Andreas Fault, Carrizo Plain, San Luis Obispo County, California.''
Research Website: 
http://activetectonics.blogspot.com/
Google Scholar: 
Google Scholar Profile
Research Interests: 

I am interested in in earthquake geology, paleoseismology, and geomorphology of fault zones and publishing about their history of activity and hazards. I am cofounder and coPI of the OpenTopography effort—a portal to the largest collection of freely available high resolution topography data (http://www.opentopography.org/). My students and i do research on active faulting, earthquake geology, tectonic geomorphology, and the geologic framework for human origins.
 

Research Group: 

http://activetectonics.la.asu.edu/index.html

Publications: 

A few recent publications (*STUDENT COAUTHOR):

  • 2017 Campisano, C. J., Cohen, A. S., Arrowsmith, J R., Asrat, A., Behrensmeyer, A. K., Brown, E. T., Deino, A. L., Deocampo, D. M., Feibel, C. S., Kingston, J. D., Lamb, H. F., Lowenstein, T. K., Noren, A., Olago, D., Owen, B., Pelletier, J. D., Potts, R., Reed, K. E., Renaut, R. W., Russell, J. M., Russell, J. L., Schaebitz, F., Stone, J. R., Trauth, M. H., Wynn, J. G.,  The Hominin Sites and Paleolakes Drilling Project: Acquiring High-Resolution Paleoclimate Records from the East African Rift System and Their Implications for Understanding the Environmental Context of Hominin Evolution, PaleoAnthropology: 1-43.
  • 2017 Gold, R. D., Cowgill, E., Arrowsmith, J R., Friedrich, A. M., Pulsed strain release on the Altyn Tagh fault, northwest China, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 459, p. 291-300, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.11.024.
  • 2016 Arrowsmith, J R., Crosby*, C. J., Korjenkov, A. M., Mamyrov, E., Povolotskaya, I., Guralnik, B., Landgraf, A., Surface rupture of the 1911 Kebin (Chon-Kemin) earthquake, Northern Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan. In: Landgraf, A., Kuebler, S., Hintersberger, E. and Stein, S. (eds) Seismicity, Fault Rupture and Earthquake Hazards in Slowly Deforming Regions. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 432. http://doi.org/10.1144/SP432.10
  • 2015 DiMaggio*, E. N., Campisano, C. J., Rowan, J., Dupont-Nivet, G., Deino, A. L., Bibi, F., Lewis, M. E., Souron, A., Garello, D., Werdelin, L., Reed, K., E., Arrowsmith, J R., Late Pliocene Fossiliferous Sedimentary Record and the Environmental Context of early Homo from Afar, Ethiopia, Science, VOL 347 ISSUE 6228, 10.1126/science.aaa1415.
  • 2014 Umhoefer, P. J., Maloney, S., Arrowsmith, J R., Martinez-Gutierrez, G., Kent, G., Driscoll, N., Harding, A., Kaufman, D., Rittenour, T., Late Quaternary faulting history of the Carrizal and related faults, La Paz region, Baja California Sur, Mexico, Geosphere, DOI: 10.1130/GES00924.1, v. 10, no. 14.
  • 2013 Busch*, M., Arrowsmith J R., Umhoefer, P., Coyan*, J., Kent, G., Driscoll, N., Martinez Gutierrez,  G., Geometry, segmentation, and Quaternary slip behavior of the San Juan de los Planes and Saltito fault zones, Baja California Sur, Mexico: Characterization of rift-margin normal faults, Geosphere,  v. 9, p. 426-443, doi:10.1130/GES00806.1.
  • 2011 Toke*, N. A. Arrowsmith, J R., Rymer, M. J., Landgraf, A., Haddad*, D. E., Busch*, M. M., Coyan*, J., Hannah, A., Late Holocene slip rate of the San Andreas Fault and its accommodation by creep and M6 earthquakes at Parkfield, Geology, v. 39, no. 3, p. 243-246, doi: 10.1130/G31498.1.
  • 2009 Arrowsmith, J R., and Zielke*, O., Tectonic geomorphology of the San Andreas Fault zone from high resolution topography: an example from the Cholame segment,  Geomorphology; special issue on high resolution topography, doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2009.01.002.
  • 2008 Hilley, G. E., and Arrowsmith J R., Geomorphic response to uplift along the Dragon's Back pressure ridge, Carrizo Plain, California, Geology, v. 36; no. 5; p. 367-370; doi: 10.1130/G24517A.1.
  • 2005 Thiede, R. C., Arrowsmith, J R., Bookhagen, B., McWilliams, M. O., Sobel, E. R., Strecker, M. R., From tectonically to ``erosionally'' controlled development of the Himalayan orogen, Geology, 33, p. 689-692, doi: 10.1130/G21483.1.

 

Summer 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
SES 592Research
SES 595Continuing Registration
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Spring 2020
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 451Field Geology I
GLG 591Seminar
SES 592Research
SES 599Thesis
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Fall 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 591Seminar
SES 592Research
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Summer 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
SES 592Research
SES 599Thesis
Spring 2019
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 451Field Geology I
SES 494Special Topics
GLG 591Seminar
SES 592Research
SES 598Special Topics
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Fall 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
SES 494Special Topics
SES 591Seminar
GLG 591Seminar
SES 592Research
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Summer 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 590Reading and Conference
SES 592Research
SES 599Thesis
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Spring 2018
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 451Field Geology I
GLG 591Seminar
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Fall 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 591Seminar
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Summer 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
SES 592Research
SES 692Research
SES 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
Spring 2017
Course NumberCourse Title
AST 592Research
GLG 592Research
GLG 599Thesis
AST 692Research
SES 692Research
GLG 692Research
SES 792Research
GLG 792Research
AST 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
AST 799Dissertation
GLG 799Dissertation
Fall 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 592Research
GLG 599Thesis
SES 692Research
AST 692Research
GLG 692Research
SES 792Research
GLG 792Research
SES 799Dissertation
AST 799Dissertation
GLG 799Dissertation
Summer 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 592Research
AST 692Research
GLG 799Dissertation
Spring 2016
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 451Field Geology I
GLG 591Seminar
AST 592Research
GLG 592Research
GLG 595Continuing Registration
GLG 599Thesis
GLG 692Research
AST 692Research
GLG 792Research
AST 792Research
GLG 799Dissertation
AST 799Dissertation
Fall 2015
Course NumberCourse Title
GLG 410Computers in Geology
GLG 592Research
GLG 598Special Topics
GLG 599Thesis
AST 692Research
GLG 692Research
GLG 792Research
GLG 799Dissertation
AST 799Dissertation
Honors / Awards: 
  • Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration Undergraduate Professor of the Year (from students) 2013
  • Fellow, Geological Society of America 2009
  • Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration Graduate Professor of the Year (from students) 2008
  • Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration Undergraduate Professor of the Year (from students) 2007
  • Arizona State University Geological Sciences Department Faculty Appreciation award (from students) 2005
  • Arizona State University Geology Department Excellence in Teaching award 1996 (shared with S. Reynolds)
Professional Associations: 
  • American Geophysical Union
  • Geological Society of America
  • Seismological Society of America
Service: 
  • 2015-2016 NASA Strategic planning committee member for the NASA Earth Surface and Interior (ESI) Focus Area
  • 2014-present UNAVCO Nominating committee
  • 2007-present National Earthquake Prediction Evaluation Council (appointed by Director of US Geological Survey)
  • 2011-2016 Southern California Earthquake Center Planning Committee (SoSAFE)
  • 2006-present Arizona Land Subsidence Group member
  • 2008-2014 Committee on Seismology and Geodynamics, a standing committee within the National Research Council's Board on Earth Sciences and Resources
  • 2011-2015 EarthScope Steering Committee chairman
  • 2011-2015 EarthScope National Office Director
  • 2013 Palo Verde Nuclear Generating Station Seismic Hazard Review (SSHAC level 3) Resource Expert
  • 2010-2013 Scientific Review Panel, Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast 3
Expertise Areas: 
Geological Processes
Earth Surface Processes
Geophysics
Geodynamics and Seismology