Research Interests:  I am interested in the monitoring of active volcanoes and mitigation of volcanic hazards.  I want to gain a better understanding of how volcanoes work by studying the earthquakes they generate.

Hazards associated with Cascade volcanoes pose a threat to many people living in the Pacific Northwest, as is the case with those around Mount Rainier.  Built atop deposits originating from Rainier, the densely populated and expanding suburbs of the Puget Sound region will be at great risk during the next eruption.  As demonstrated by Mt. St. Helens in 1980, volcanic eruptions and associated hazards can cause massive destruction. 

1980 Eruption of Mt. St. Helens
Mt. St. Helens VolcanoCam
Mt. Rainier VolcanoCamhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgRnVhbfIKQhttp://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/volcanocams/msh/views/java-highdef.phphttp://mms.nps.gov/mora/cam/mountain.jpgshapeimage_2_link_0shapeimage_2_link_1shapeimage_2_link_2

Current research:  I am currently studying a type of volcanic seismicity known as deep long-period (DLP) earthquakes.  These events are interpreted to reflect the movement of magma and associated fluids at lower to middle crustal depths, and are observed in the background seismicity of many volcanic systems worldwide, including: Mount Pinatubo, the Aleutians, Japan, Kilauea, California and the Cascades.  In the case of Mount Pinatubo, many hundreds of these events preceded the major 1991 eruption and helped to provide adequate warning that allowed for the evacuation of thousands of people.

In the Cascades, just over a dozen total DLP’s have been documented at Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker, and it is expected that some have gone undetected.  The goal of my research is to identify other DLP earthquakes in the available archived data from all of the Cascade volcanoes.  This will create a more complete record of background DLP seismicity, allowing for the most accurate interpretation of future events that may represent renewed eruptive activity, and help to gain a better understanding of the overall role of DLP earthquakes in volcanic systems.

Advisors:      
       John Vidale
       Steve Malone
       Heidi Houston
       Kenneth Kreager
               
Links:        
       Department of Earth & Space Sciences
      Pacific Northwest Seismic Networkhttp://www.ess.washington.edu/web/ess/people/faculty_bio/vidale-bio.htmlhttp://earthweb.ess.washington.edu/malone/http://www.ess.washington.edu/web/ess/people/faculty_bio/houston-bio.htmlhttp://www.ess.washington.edu/web/ess/people/faculty_bio/creager-bio.htmlhttp://www.ess.washington.edu/http://www.pnsn.org/shapeimage_3_link_0shapeimage_3_link_1shapeimage_3_link_2shapeimage_3_link_3shapeimage_3_link_4shapeimage_3_link_5
 Email:  maisie15@u.washington.edu

    Office/Phone:  ATG 202/(206) 543-0570 (shared)

    Mailbox:  Dept. of Earth & Space Sciences
                    University of Washington
                    070 Johnson Hall, Box 351310
                    Seattle, Washington 98195-1310

    Education:  Michigan State University (2006)
                           *B.S. Geological Sciences

                       University of Washington (expected 2010)
                          *M.S. Earth & Space Sciencesmailto:maisie15@u.washington.edushapeimage_4_link_0

Katmai National Park, Alaska 2008

Mt. Rainier

Grand Tetons

Hole in the Wall, Death Valley

En route to Katmai Caldera

Katmai Caldera, Alaska

Seattle and Mt. Rainier

Mt. Rainier

Mt. St. Helens crater

Mt. Mageik, Alaska