Michelle Carlson, MS candidate

Research summary: The Blue Ridge fault (BRF), on the north slope of Mount Hood, is located ~60 miles from Portland, Oregon and nearby critical infrastructure such as the Bonneville Dam. My research combines field and computer-based surface mapping, fault displacement measurement, and age dating along the Blue Ridge fault to examine fault activity over the last million years. Careful measurement of faulted surfaces on a variety of units provides insight into past earthquake activity. Due to its proximity to critical infrastructure and nearby communities, understanding the potential hazards of this fault zone can inform future developments and emergency services.

At this time, I have completed my field studies, which included off-trail hiking to several of the fault traces, comparing my observations with past maps of the area, and collecting samples for age dating and geochemical analysis. My ongoing work is to refine the geologic map of the area, summarize age dates of surfaces, and incorporate this field and remote data into a comprehensive multi-earthquake slip rate for the Mount Hood fault zone.

Projected date of completion: Summer 2026.