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John Caskey – Research Interests
My primary research interests are in the fields of structural geology, regional geology,
and neotectonics. Most of my research during the past ten years has focused on aspects
of active faulting in the Basin and Range province, in particular the central Nevada
seismic belt. The arid desert environment and remarkable geomorphic preservation of
tectonic and stratigraphic features make Nevada one the greatest natural laboratories for
field studies of active normal faults. Much of my research in Nevada has been in
collaboration with Steven Wesnousky (Center for Neotectonic Studies, University of
Nevada, Reno) and John Bell and Alan Ramelli (Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology)
also at the University of Nevada. Some of the more specific studies that we’ve conducted
include:

Surface faulting and distribution of fault slip for the 1954 Rainbow MountainStillwater and Fairview Peak-Dixie Valley earthquake sequences (Caskey et al.,
1996, Caskey et al., in press). (Fault map of the 1954 rupture zones)

Static-stress changes associated with the northward propagation of the Fairview
Peak-Dixie Valley earthquake sequence (Caskey and Wesnousky, 1997).

Geologic and geophysical evidence for historical faulting along a low-angle
normal fault, Dixie Valley (Caskey et al., 1996; Abbott et al., 2001).

Patterns and rates of Holocene faulting in the 1915-1954 portion of the central
Nevada seismic belt, evidence for paleoseismic belt-like behavior (Bell et al., in
press).

Comparisons between Holocene and contemporary (GPS) extension rates across
the central Nevada seismic belt (Bell et al., in press).

Tectonic and isostatic deformation of pluvial lake shorelines, Dixie Valley
(Caskey and Ramelli, in review).

Late Holocene surface ruptures and large-magnitude liquefaction along the
Stillwater seismic gap segment of the Dixie Valley fault (Caskey 2002; Lutz et
al., 2003).

Faults and stress redistributions as tools for geothermal resource assessment in the
Basin and Range (Caskey and Wesnousky, 2000).
In addition to the references and links to figures given above, the preliminary results
of some of these studies were topics of discussion on the 2002 Pacific Cell Friends of the
Pleistocene (FOP) Field Trip. The guidebook for this and other recent FOP field trips can
be downloaded for free at http://www.pacificfop.org/.
Since arriving at SFSU in 1998, I’ve become involved in projects more local to the
San Francisco Bay region, largely through the research of graduate and undergraduate
students. Some of these studies include:

Style and rate of active deformation along the (blind) Serra thrust fault in
southwest San Francicso (Drew Kennedy).

Tectonic geomorphology and paleoseismic behavior of the southern Rodgers
Creek fault (Carrie Randolph-Loar).

Correlation and uplift rates of late Pleistocene marine terraces along the Seal
Cove fault (Mitch Monroe).

Geophysical mapping of serpentinite bodies in the San Francisco Presidio (Joe
Pesche).

Mapping and Ar/Ar dating of Coast Range volcanic rocks at Burdell Mountain
with implications for long-term offset on the East Bay fault system (Rick Ford).

Relations between surface creep and microseismicity along strike-slip faults in the
San Francisco Bay region (Marina Mascorro).
Since 2001, I have also been involved with SFSU’s fault creep monitoring project
that was created by Jon Galehouse (SFSU, Emeritus Faculty) in 1979. The project
involves making periodic theodolite measurements of aseismic surface creep on active
strike-slip faults in the San Francisco Bay Region. Jon developed and maintained the
project from 1979-2001 (e.g., Galehouse, 2002) and the project has been funded since its
beginning by the U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquakes Hazards Reduction
Program. In 2001, Karen Grove and I took the reins of project. To learn more about the
project, check out our SFSU Fault Creep Monitoring Project website.
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