SCEC Award Number 12131 View PDF
Proposal Category Individual Proposal (Integration and Theory)
Proposal Title Quantizing Southern California Tectonics for Stressing Models
Investigator(s)
Name Organization
Brendan Meade Harvard University
Other Participants Eileen Evans (Harvard)
SCEC Priorities 3a SCEC Groups Geodesy
Report Due Date 03/15/2013 Date Report Submitted N/A
Project Abstract
 This year we integrated the Total Variation Denoising solution method into the BLOCKS code. This algorithm is designed to allow for quantized estimation of block motions. The purpose of this approach is to deterministically estimate which particular subsets of the southern California fault network might be most important without having to work to rely on the human or consensus agreement of which faults are most kinematically important a priori. This forms a foundation of for the analytic calculation of stressing rates that satisfies the equilibrium conditions.
Intellectual Merit The physical models used in this work are not new. The novel concept is the algorithmic approach to determining the "simplest" useful fault slip rate model using concepts from both compressed sensing and convex optimization.
Broader Impacts This proposal directly supported the work of my graduate student Eileen Evans. The project was ideal for her as it connects to her previous compressed sensing work only with a new application to interseismic rather than coseismic deformation. While all SCEC proposals likely benefit society by informing earthquake hazard assessment I feel it likely that the most important aspect of this proposal is the discussion of how scientists develop simple models vs. how computers may determine simple models.
Exemplary Figure Figure 1., Figure 3.
Linked Publications

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