Center for Geophysical Investigation of the Shallow Subsurface (CGISS)

Department of Geosciences

Boise State University

My research topics at CGISS include

Neotectonics and earthquake hazards
Basin-scale geophysical studies
Marine seismic imaging
Hydrogeophysics
Cryosphere
New Methodologies
Humanitarian Geophysics

My tools include

Seismic reflection
Gravity and magnetics
Ground penetrating radar


 

Funded Projects (last 5 years)

  • 2008-2010 (PI) The advancement of humanitarian geophysics in Southeast Asia: a student-based approach
  • 2008-2009 (PI) Seismic profiling of the western extension of the Seattle Fault, Washington
  • 2007-2008 (PI) Hydrostratigraphic and structural characterization at the Central Nevada Test Area
  • 2004-2008 (PI) Seismic profiling of the Tacoma Fault, Washingtoan U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program
  • 2006-2007 (PI) Seismic profiling of the Southern Whidbey Island and Seattle Faults, Washington U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program
  • 2004-2006 - (PI) CCI Pahsimeroi Subbasin Surface water/Groundwater Savings and Restoration Project Bureau of Land Management: collaborators (J. McNamara)
  • 2004-2006 - (PI) New and innovative equipment and technologies for the remote sensing and surveillance of oil under ice - Collaborative research with D. Dickens and Associates: Mineral Management Services: collaborators (J. Bradford)
  • 2004 - (PI) Tamarack seismic reflection project Hydro Logic, Inc.: collaborators (J. Bradford)
  • 2003-2004 - (co-PI) High-resolution magnetometer and seismic exploration for the buried 5th century city of Yonuk Nagaboandhu, northernmost Thailand Boise State University Faculty Research Grant:collaborators (S. Wood)
  • 2003-2004 - (PI) Vibroseis seismic profiling of the Seattle Fault, Lake Sammamish region, Washington U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program
  • 2003-2004 - (PI) East Bank Fault geophysical characterization investigation, Portland, Oregon Collaborative Research with Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program: collaborators (I. Madin)
  • 2001-2003 - (PI) Procurement and reprocessing of an industry marine seismic reflection profile from the Columbia River, Oregon and Washington U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program
  • 2000-2002 - (PI) Portland Hills fault source characterization investigation, Portland, Oregon U.S. Geological Survey NEHRP Program:collaborators (M. Hemphill-Haley, I. Madin)

  • Selected Publications

    Best, H., McNamara, J. P., & Liberty, L. (2005). Association of ice and river channel morphology determined using ground-penetrating radar in the Kuparuk river, Alaska. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research, 37(2), 157-162.

    Blakely, R. J., Wells, R. E., Tolan, T. L., Beeson, M. H., Trehu, A. M., & Liberty, L. M. (2000). New aeromagnetic data reveal large strike-slip (?) faults in the northern Willamette valley, oregon. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 112(8), 1225-1233.

    Bradford, J.H., Liberty, L.M., Lyle, M.W., Clement, W.P., and Hess, S., (2006), Imaging complex structure in shallow seismic-reflection data using prestack depth migration: Geophysics, v. 71, p. B175-B181.

    Janik, A., Lyle, M., & Liberty, L. M. (2004). Seismic expression of Pleistocene paleoceanographic changes in the california borderland from digitally acquired 3.5 kHz subbottom profiles and ocean drilling program leg 167 drilling. Journal of Geophysical Research, B, Solid Earth and Planets, 109(7), 20.

    Liberty, L. M. (1998). Seismic reflection imaging of a geothermal aquifer in an urban setting; shallow seismic reflection. Geophysics, 63(4), 1285-1294.

    Liberty, L. M., Heller, P. L., & Smithson, S. B. (1994). Seismic reflection evidence for two-phase development of tertiary basins from east-central Nevada. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 106(12), 1621-1633.

    Liberty, L. M., Pratt, T.L., Lyle, M., and Madin, I.P., I. P. (in press). Neotectonic analysis of Upper Klamath Lake, Oregon: new insights from seismic reflection data. Geological Society of America Special Volume 447 , edited by Oldow, J.S., and Cashman, P.H. .

    Liberty, L. M. and Pratt, T.L., I. P. (2008). Structure of the eastern Seattle fault zone, Washington State: new insights from seismic reflection data. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

    Liberty, L. M., Hemphill-Haley, M. A., & Madin, I. P. (2003). The Portland Hills Fault; uncovering a hidden fault in Portland, Oregon using high-resolution geophysical methods; contributions to neotectonics and seismic hazard from shallow geophysical imaging. Tectonophysics, 368(1-4), 89-103.

    Liberty, L. M., Trehu, A. M., Blakely, R. J., & Dougherty, M. E. (1999). Integration of high-resolution seismic and aeromagnetic data for earthquake hazards evaluations; an example from the willamette valley, oregon. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 89(6), 1473-1483.

    Mitchell, N. C., Lyle, M. W., Knappenberger, M. B., & Liberty, L. M. (2003). Lower miocene to present stratigraphy of the equatorial pacific sediment bulge and carbonate dissolution anomalies. Paleoceanography, 18(2), 14.

    Moore, T. C., Rea, D. K., Lyle, M., & Liberty, L. M. (2002). Equatorial ocean circulation in an extremely warm climate. Paleoceanography, 17(1), 6.

    Rea, D.K., Lyle, M.W., Liberty, L.M., Hovan, S.A., Bolyn, M.P., Gleason, J.D., Hendy, I.L., Latimer, J.C., Murphy, B.M., Owen, R.M., Paul, C.F., Rea, T.H.C., Stancin, A.M., and Thomas, D.J., (2006), Broad region of no sediment in the southwest Pacific Basin: Geology, v. 34, p. 873–876.

    Sherrod, B.L., Blakely, R.J., Weaver, C.S., Kelsey, H.M., Barnett, E., Liberty, L.M., Meagher, K.L., and Pape, K.M., (2008), Finding concealed active faults: extension of the southern Whidbey Island fault across the Puget Lowland, Washington, Journal of Geophysical Research, 113, B05313, doi:10.1029/2007JB005060.


    Membership

    American Geophysical Union (AGU)
    Engineering and Environmental Society (EEGS)
    Geological Society of America (GSA)
    Seismological Society of America (SSA)
    Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG)

    Other Items