Thesis title: Investigating the balance between seismic energy release and geodetic strain accumulation in the East African Rift

Research interests: Seismicity, Continental earthquakes

Recent normal faulting earthquakes have a magnitude of ∼7.3 or less. Researchers studying the East African Rift have claimed that geomorphological evidence indicates that much larger events are recorded in the landscape. To address this discrepancy the student will use publicly available earthquake catalogues to quantify the total strain release that has occurred in these regions and compare that to the amount of strain stored by the movement of the plates on either side of the rift. They will then investigate whether there is a discrepancy, and if so whether very large but infrequent events are required to resolve it. They will also investigate the possible causes for the differences in maximum earthquake magnitude in regions of rifting.

Supervisor/s: Associate Professor Alastair Sloan

Degrees: 

1. BSc in Geological Sciences (2024)

Awards:

1. GEO1006S class medal (2022)
2.  GEO2004S class medal (2023)
3.  Faculty of Science Dean's Merit List (2023)