Alan
LindeHe/His
Alan Linde’s research focuses on the use of highly sensitive deformation data from borehole strainmeters as a tool to understand tectonic activity associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Overview
Alan Linde’s research focuses on the use of highly sensitive deformation data from borehole strainmeters as a tool to understand tectonic activity associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity. These data led to the discovery of events referred to as slow earthquakes that are similar to regular earthquakes except that the fault motions take place over (much) longer time scales. These were first detected in southeast Japan and have since been seen in a number of different environments including the San Andreas Fault in California and in the subduction zone off Hokkaido. They are also triggered by typhoons in Taiwan.
Strain changes, generated by magma movement at a number of volcanoes, have enabled characterizing previously unknown aspects of eruptive activity. Strainmeters installed close to Hekla (Iceland), Soufriere Hills (Montserrat), Stromboli, and Etna (Italy) have all provided data leading to new insights into the various volcanoes. This research allowed a short-term prediction of the eruption of Hekla in 2000 and resulted in diverting aircraft around the hazardous ash plume.
Data from strain meters installed by the Japanese Meteorological Agency in the vicinity of Miharayama (Izu-Oshima) show rapid recharging of a shallow magma reservoir during the course of an eruption. The research-based on the strain data has led to the discovery that great earthquakes can trigger volcanic activity at large distances from the earthquake and to the concept that, in some areas, large subduction earthquakes may be preceded by slow slip on the subduction interface at depths greater than the seismogenic zone.
CV
- B.S., Honors, University of Queensland, 1959
- Ph.D., Geophysics, University of Queensland, 1972
- Lecturer, Physics Department, University of Queensland, 1962-1972.
- Fellow, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, (on leave from Unversity of Queensland), 1969-1970.
- Staff Member, Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, 1972-present.
- Senior Fellow, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, Tohoku University, Japan, 1986.
- Visiting Scholar, Tohoku University, 1986-1987.
- Visiting Research Fellow, University of Queensland, 1991.
- Visiting Scholar, Meteorological Research Institute, Japan, 1995-1996.
- Fellow, American Geophysical Union, 2002.