Recent developments in earthquake seismology

Gary Gibson

Abstract

The past few years have seen a significant increase in earthquake activity in the Western Strzelecki Ranges of West Gippsland. This activity and it’s implications will be discussed. Other local developments include a study on the relationship between earthquake and volcanic activity in western Victoria. These studies rely on higher resolution seismograph coverage than was available in the past.

The recent earthquake in Nepal was not unexpected due to the tectonic activity in the Himalaya, but the rapid application of advanced analysis methods illustrates the improvements in understanding the mechanism and effects of large earthquakes.

About Gary Gibson

Gary Gibson grew up amongst the volcanoes about Terang in the Western District, then studied at the University of Melbourne, working there for several years in the School of Earth Sciences, mainly in exploration geophysics. In 1968 he joined the Phillip Institute of Technology, later amalgamated into RMIT University. In 1976 he established the Seismology Research Centre, working on the application of earthquake seismology to engineering and geological problems. The centre is now a separate company and operates 80 seismographs, mainly in eastern Australia, and has developed seismographs and analysis software for its own use and for sale in Australia and overseas. Gary still works at the Centre part-time, undertaking earthquake hazard consulting for major projects. Since 2010 he has been an Principal Research Fellow in seismology at the University of Melbourne.

Gary has done earthquake hazard studies in most southeast Asian and southwest Pacific countries, and other countries including China, Iran, Morocco, South Africa, Lesotho, Mongolia, Peru and Chile. He has been the Australian representative to the International Association for Earthquake Engineering, and is the Victorian representative on the Australian Earthquake Engineering Society.

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