Faculty & Staff
Margaret S. Boettcher
Assistant Professor of Geophysics
Ph.D. MIT/WHOI, 2005
Seismology, Geophysics
James Hall 234
Phone: 603-862-0580
Email: margaret.boettcher@unh.edu
Research Interests
My research is focused on understanding the physics of earthquakes and the mechanics of fault slip. I utilize techniques from observational seismology, laboratory rock-mechanics experiments, and numerical modeling. Currently I am investigating earthquake and faulting processes on Mid-Ocean Ridge Transform Faults and in Deep Gold Mines in South Africa. These two, completely different tectonic environments, are both relatively simple in terms of composition and thermal structure, and are ideal environments for studying the earthquake source itself.
Teaching
- Dynamic Earth (Physical Geology)- ESCI 401
- Geophysics- ESCI 734/834
- Mechanics of Earthquakes and Faulting- ESCI 895
- Brown Bag Seminar- ESCI 993
Students & Postdocs
- Monica Wolfson (PhD in progress)
- Pamela Moyer (PhD in progress)
- Evangelos Korkolis (MS in progress)
- Michele Forrestall
- Deborah Kane (PhD Scripps 2011)
Graduate Students-
Undergraduate Students-
Postdocs-
Publications
| 2011- | Lippmann-Pipke, J., J. Erzinger, M. Zimmer, M. Kujawa, M.S. Boettcher, E. van Heerden, A. Bester, H. Moller, N.A. Stroncik, Z. Reches, Direct observation of geogas transport through an inactive fault system at 3.54 km depth, TauTona gold mine, South Africa, in press in Applied Geochemistry, 2011. |
| 2010- | McGarr. A., J.B. Fletcher, M.S. Boettcher, N. Beeler, and J. Boatwright, Laboratory-based Maximum Slip Rates in Earthquake Rupture Zones and Radiated Energy, Bull. Seis. Soc. Am., 100, doi: 10.1785/0120100043. |
| 2009- | Boettcher, M.S., and J.J. McGuire, Scaling relations for seismic cycles on mid-ocean ridge transform faults, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L21301, doi:10.1029/2009GL040115, 2009. |
| McGarr A., M. Boettcher, J. B. Fletcher, R. Sell, M. J. S. Johnston, R. Durrheim, S. Spottiswoode, and A. Milev, Broadband Records of Earthquakes in Deep Gold Mines and a Comparison with Results from SAFOD, California, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 99, pp. 2815–2824, doi: 10.1785/0120080336, 2009. | |
| Boettcher, M.S., A. McGarr, and M. Johnston, Extension of Gutenberg-Richter distribution to MW -1.3, no lower limit in sight, Geophys. Res. Lett., 36, L10307, doi:10.1029/2009GL038080, 2009. | |
| 2007- | Behn, M.D., M.S. Boettcher, and G. Hirth, On the Thermal Structure of Oceanic Transform Faults, Geology, 35, p. 307-310, doi: 10.1130/G23112A.1, 2007. |
| Boettcher, M.S., G. Hirth, and B. Evans, Olivine Friction at the Base of Oceanic Seismogenic Zones, J. Geophys. Res., 112, B01205, doi: 10.1029/2006JB004301, 2007. | |
| 2005- | McGuire, J.J., M.S. Boettcher, and T.H. Jordan, Foreshock Sequences and Short Term Earthquake Predictability on East Pacific Rise Transform Faults, Nature, 434, p. 457-461, 2005. |
| 2004- | Boettcher, M.S., and T.H. Jordan, Earthquake Scaling Relations for Mid-Ocean Ridge Transform Faults, J. Geophs. Res., 109, B12302, doi: 10.1029/2004JB003110, 2004. |
| Boettcher, M.S. and C. Marone, Effects of Normal Stress Variation on the Strength and Stability of Creeping Faults, J. Geophys. Res., 109, B03406, doi: 10.1029/203JB002824, 2004. | |
| 1999- | Morgan, J.K., and M.S. Boettcher, Numberical Simulations of Granular Shear Zones Using the Distinct Element Method: I. Shear Zone Kinematics and the Micromechanics of Localization, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 104., p. 2703-2719, 1999. |
| 1998- | Fischer, K.M., M.J. Fouch, D.A. Wiens, and M.S. Boettcher, Anisotropy and flow in Pacific Subduction zone back-arcs, Pure and Applied Geophysics, v. 151, p. 463-457, 1998. |