Michael W. Hamburger
Professor of Geological Sciences
Geophysics, Seismology, and Tectonics
Office: GY415
Phone: 812-855-2934
Email: hamburg@indiana.edu
Current Additional Academic Positions (non-Departmental)
Associate Dean of Facilities
Educational Background
- Ph.D., 1986, Cornell University
- M.Sc., 1982, Cornell University
- B.A., 1975, Wesleyan University
Research Interests
Michael Hamburger's major research interests are in seismotectonics, earthquake prediction, and application of satellite geodetic measurements to geodynamic problems. He currently has active research programs in the subduction zone environments of the Southwest Pacific (Fiji-Tonga region) and the Philippines, as well as in zones of continental collision in the Pamir-Tien Shan mountain region of Central Asia and the Caucasus mountains of southwestern Asia. Major field research projects include: (1) analysis of earthquake distribution, velocity structure, and focal mechanisms in the Pamir-Tien Shan region of central Asia; (2) study of earthquakes and crustal deformation associated with Pinatubo and Taal volcanoes in the Philippines; (3) studies of seismicity and crustal deformation in the U.S. midcontinent (Wabash Valley Seismic Zone of southern Indiana and Illinois); (4) application of satellite geodetic techniques using the Global Positioning System (GPS) for geodynamic measurements in the Caucasus Mountains (southern Russia, Georgia, and Armenia) and in the Tien Shan of Central Asia (in collaboration with MIT's Robert Reilinger, Brad Hager and Peter Molnar).
This figure shows the Tien Shan mountains of central Asia, an area of very rapid mountain building and high seismic activity, where IU scientists have been involved in seismotectonic and crustal deformation studies for the past several years. This figure shows results from a collaborative project (scientists from US, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan) applying Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements to study crustal deformation in an active mountain belt. The GPS network now includes nearly 200 GPS sites measured annually, and includes nine continous stations distrubuted around the Tien Shan. The measurements provide the first 'direct' measurement of crustal shortening rates in the Tien Shan, and indicate very high rates of convergence across the range, estimated in excess of 20 mm/yr, nearly half of the India-Eurasia convergence rate.
Courses Taught
Dr. Hamburger is involved in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Along with Professor James Brophy, he has developed a new, undergraduate course for non-science majors entitled "Earthquakes & Volcanoes." He has also taught Methods in Applied Geophysics (G423). At the graduate level, he teaches "Fundamentals of Plate Tectonics" (G554), "Analysis of Earthquake Seismograms" G515), and, together with Dr. Bruce Douglas, conducts an annual "Seminar in Tectonics (G637). The geophysics faculty (Hamburger, Pavlis, Rudman) also teach the "Advanced Geophysics Seminar" (G633) each semester.
Graduate Student Projects
Student Theses
Swanson, William Alfred, II (M.Sc., 1988) Seismicity and crustal structure of the Pamir-Alai region in Soviet Central Asia.
Thomas, Margaret Wynn (M.Sc., 1989) Temporal distribution of seismic activity within the Soviet Regional Earthquake Catalog, Central Asia.
Ramos, Emmanuel G. (M.Sc., 1992) Seismic expression of faults within and around the Peter The First Range, Tadjikistan.
Zheng, Bingjun (M.Sc., 1993) Evidence for precursory seismicity changes preceding moderate and large earthquakes in the Garm Region, central Asia.
Mellors, Robert John (Ph.D., 1995) Two studies in central Asian seismology: a teleseismic study of the Pamir/Hindu Kush seismic zone and analysis of data from the Kyrgyzstan broadband seismic network.
Ramos, Emmanuel G. (Ph.D., 1995) Seismicity and magmatic intrusion processes at Pinatubo Volcano, Philippines.
Ghose, Sujoy (Ph.D., 1997) Seismotectonics in an active intracontinental orogen: The Tien Shan of central Asia.
Krueger, Alex (M.Sc., 1998), Seismicity and the State of Stress in the Pamir-Tien Shan Zone.
Tomida, Michiru (M.Sc., 1998), Tectonics of Incipient Subduction at the East Luzon Trough, Philippines.
Bartel, Beth (M.Sc., in progress), Crustal deformation associated with volcanic activity at Taal volcano, Philippines
Millen, David (Ph.D., in progress), Tectonics of subduction zone terminations: Tectonics of the northern Tonga island arc.
Rybakov, Vladimir (Ph.D., In progress), Intraplate Deformation and Seismic Activity in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone.
Thibault, Catherine (M.Sc., in progress), Crustal deformation in the northern Philippine Island arc.
Representative Publications
M. Hamburger, Galgana, G., Q. Chen, and K. Johnson, Geodetic Observations From the Region Surrounding the M 5.2 Mt. Carmel, Illinois Earthquake [abstract], EOS, Trans. Am. Geophys. Un., 89(53), Fall Meet. Suppl. Abstract G21A-0664.
Horton, S.P., S. Ayele, T. Stigall, G. Pavlis, H. Deshon, M. Hamburger, and M. Withers, Aftershocks of the Mw 5.2 April, 18, 2008, Mt. Carmel, Illinois Earthquake [abstract], Seismol. Soc. of Amer., Eastern Section, Program & Abstracts, p. 30.
M.W. Hamburger, G. A. Galgana, K. M. Johnson, R. W. King, Crustal deformation in the Wabash Valley Seismic Zone based on ten years of GPS campaign measurements, UNAVCO Science Workshop, Program & Abstracts.
Hamburger, M.W. Big Red Goes Green! Indiana University’s Emerging Sustainability Initiative, Assn. Adv. Sustainability in Higher Ed., Symposium volume.
M.W. Hamburger, D. Fuente, Navigating Theory and Practice: Indiana University’s Summer Program in Sustainability Amer. Assn. Sustainability in Higher Ed., Symposium volume.
M.W. Hamburger, Green Campus, Green Future, Research & Creative Activity, 13:1, 2-4
Service
Hamburger is active in a large number of professional organizations. He currently serves on the Steering Committee of the University Navstar (GPS) Consortium (UNAVCO), is an associate editor of the Journal of Geophysical Research, and was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. Together with Dr. Gary Pavlis and William Boone (IU School of Education) he has been involved in the Princeton Earth Physics Program, a nationwide project to bring seismology research into the public school curriculum. He serves on the Earthquake Advisory Board of the Indiana State Emergency Management Agency.
