Weston (Wes) Thelen, Seismologist at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory

Bio

Weston (Wes) Thelen is currently a father of three and a seismologist at the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory.  But he hasn’t always been a little league dad working for big government. Wes grew up in Truckee, California enjoying all the sports that the mountains had to offer. Wes was introduced to volcanoes as a kid by harvesting spring corn on the slopes of Mount Lassen and Mount Shasta. He received a Geology and Geophysics degree from the University of Nevada (Reno) in 2004 and a Ph.D in Geophysics from the University of Washington in 2009. Wes’ research interest span a broad range of topics including volcano seismicity, network seismology, infrasound, debris flows and avalanches.  This winter, you may find Wes backcountry skiing around Mount Hood or teaching his kids to ski at Meadows.

Fun Fact: My first hitchhiking experience was with my father after skiing the devastated area at Mount Lassen and needing a ride back to the summit parking lot.

Abstract

Eyewitness accounts of avalanches, and particularly avalanche crowns and deposits, are
commonplace by outdoor enthusiasts. These avalanches generate seismic waves and low
frequency sound waves (infrasound) that can be recorded by remote sensors if positioned close
enough to the source of the avalanche. Across the Cascade Range, the United States Geological
Survey (USGS) monitors volcanoes using seismic sensors and low frequency microphones,
among many other types of instrumentation. The steep sides of volcanoes are often also areas
of high avalanche hazard and thus we may be able to use these observations to track avalanche
activity and provide additional avalanche observations to improve forecasting for regional
partners (NWAC) and ski areas.
In this presentation you will learn about:
1. The seismic and infrasound signature of different avalanches observed across many
Cascade Volcanoes
2. Why it is hard to remotely observe avalanches away from the Cascade Volcanoes
3. How your observations on the NWAC site help!