SEISMOLOGIST

Wenyuan Fan

Curriculum vitae Google Scholar ORCID

I am an observational seismologist, and my research aims to improve understanding of seismic source processes, including earthquakes, slow earthquakes, transient environmental processes, and their interactions and triggering. My research program involves developing novel methodology, analyzing large datasets, and conducting onshore and offshore field experiments. We are always looking for students and postdocs, and there are co-advising/co-mentoring opportunities. Details regarding the SIO PhD application process can be found here.

Publications

  • Wang, Y., G. Lin, W. Fan, and C. Thurber, A new 3-D P-wave velocity model for Central America using the TeletomoDD method, submitted, 2025.

  • Wong, J. W.C., A. A. Gabriel, and W. Fan, Dynamic restrengthening and stress heterogeneity explain megathrust earthquake complexity, submitted, 2025.

  • Hardebeck, J. L., N. D. DeSalvio, W. Fan, and A. J. Barbour, False positives in the identification of dynamic earthquake triggering, submitted, 2025.

  • Fan W., Y. Yang, M. D. Behn, S. B. Das, N. Lau, and J. J. McGuire, Integrating seismic and geodetic observations to resolve the seasonal evolution of the Greenland basal hydrologic system, submitted, 2024.

  • Jia, Z., P. M. Shearer, and W. Fan, Rupture directivity from energy envelope deconvolution: theory and application to 69 Ridgecrest M 3.5-5.5 earthquakes, submitted, 2024.

  1. Abercrombie, R. E. et al., Overview of The SCEC/USGS Community Stress Drop Validation Study Using the 2019 Ridgecrest Earthquake Sequence, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., 2025.

  2. Jia, Z., W. Fan, W. Mao, P. M. Shearer, and D. A. May, Dual mechanism transition controls rupture development of large deep earthquakes, AGU Advances, 2025.

  3. Ingale, V. V., R. Parnell-Turner, W. Fan, P. J. Talling, and J. Neasham, Hydroacoustic signals recorded by CTBTO network suggest a possible submarine landslide in Trou Sans Fond Canyon, offshore Ivory Coast, March 2024, Seismological Research Letters, doi: 10.1785/0220240448, 2025.

  4. DeSalvio, N. D., A. J. Barbour, and W. Fan, Examining the role of elevated and sustained strain in dynamically triggering earthquakes on Anza section of the San Jacinto Fault, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., doi: 10.1785/0120240079, 2025.

  5. Anderson, E. C., R. Parnell-Turner, R. A. Sohn, and W. Fan, Deformation on Rainbow Massif, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, illuminated with microearthquakes detected by machine learning, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2024GL111285, 2024.

  6. Shearer, P. M., I. C. Vandevert, W. Fan, R. E. Abercrombie, D. Bindi, G. Calderoni, X. Chen, W. Ellsworth, R. Harrington, Y. Huang, T. Knudson, M. Robach, M. Supino, C. Satriano, D. T. Trugman, and J. Zhang, Earthquake source spectra estimates vary widely for two Ridgecrest aftershocks because of differences in attenuation corrections, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., doi: 10.1785/01202401340, 2024.

  7. Kutschera, F., Z. Jia, B. Oryan, J.W.C. Wong, W. Fan, and A. A. Gabriel, The Multi-Segment Complexity of the 2024 Mw 7.5 Noto Peninsula Earthquake Governs Tsunami Generation, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2024GL109790, 2024.

  8. Vandevert I. C., P. M. Shearer, and W. Fan, Ridgecrest aftershock stress drops from P- and S-wave spectral decomposition, Bull. Seism. Soc. Am., doi: 10.1785/0120240133, 2024.

  9. Wong, J. W.C., W. Fan, and A. A. Gabriel, A quantitative comparison and validation of finite-fault models: The 2011 Tohoku-Oki earthquake, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2024JB029212, 2024.

  10. Burnett, H. J. and W. Fan, Imaging microearthquake rupture processes using a dense array in Oklahoma, Seismica, doi: 10.26443/seismica.v3i2.1354, 2024.

  11. Lin, G. and W. Fan, Spatiotemporal variations of in situ Vp/Vs ratios during the 2019 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence suggest fault zone condition changes, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2024GL109171, 2024.

  12. Gong, J., W. Fan, and R. Parnell-Turner, Machine learning-based new earthquake catalog illuminates on-fault and off-fault seismicity patterns at the Discovery Transform Fault, East Pacific Rise, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi: 10.1029/2023GC011043, 2023.

  13. Jia, Z., Z. Jin, M. Marchandon, T. Ulrich, A. A. Gabriel, W. Fan, P. M. Shearer, X. Zou, J. Rekoske, F. Bulut, A. Garagon, and Y. Fialko, The complex dynamics of the 2023 Kahramanmaraş, Turkey, Mw 7.8-7.7 earthquake doublet, Science, doi: 10.1126/science.adi0685, 2023.

  14. Fan W., Combining Love and Rayleigh waves in detecting and locating seismic sources, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggad250, 2023.

  15. DeSalvio, N. D. and W. Fan, Ubiquitous earthquake dynamic triggering in southern California, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2023JB026487, 2023. PDF

  16. Shearer, P. M. and W. Fan, Space–Time Asymmetry in Earthquake Pairs along the Central San Andreas Fault: Evidence for Small Earthquake Links at Long Distances, The Seismic Record, doi: 10.1785/0320230002, 2023. PDF

  17. Liu, T., J. Gong, W. Fan, and G. Lin, In-situ Vp/Vs ratio reveals fault-zone material variation at the westernmost Gofar transform fault, East Pacific Rise, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2022JB025310, 2023. PDF

  18. Luo, X., W. Fan, and Y. Fialko, A joint seismic and space-based investigation of the 2016 Lamplugh Glacier and 2017 Wrangell Mountains (Alaska) landslides, J. Geophys. Res.: Earth Surface, doi: 10.1029/2022JF006903, 2023. PDF

  19. Shearer, P. M., H. Meng, and W. Fan, Earthquake detection using a nodal array on the San Jacinto fault in California: Evidence for high foreshock rates preceding many events, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2022JB025279, 2022. PDF

  20. Gong, J. and W. Fan, Seismicity, fault architecture, and slip mode of the westernmost Gofar transform fault, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2022JB024918, 2022. PDF

  21. Neo, J. C., W. Fan, Y. Huang, and D. Dowling, Frequency-difference backprojection of earthquakes, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggac323, 2022. PDF

  22. Fan, W., R. Okuwaki, A. J. Barbour, Y. Huang, G. Lin, and E. S. Cochran, Fast rupture of the 2009 Mw 6.9 Canal de Ballenas earthquake in the Gulf of California dynamically triggers seismicity in California, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggac059, 2022. PDF

  23. Fan, W., A. J. Barbour, J. J. McGuire, Y. Huang, G. Lin, E. S. Cochran, and R. Okuwaki, Very low frequency earthquakes in between the seismogenic and tremor zones in Cascadia?, AGU Advances, doi: 10.1029/2021AV000607, 2022. PDF

  24. Gong, J., W. Fan, and R. Parnell-Turner, Microseismicity indicates atypical small-scale plate rotation at the Quebrada transform fault system, East Pacific Rise, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2021GL097000, 2022. PDF

  25. Okuwaki, R. and W. Fan, Oblique convergence causes both thrust and strike-slip ruptures during the 2021 M 7.2 Haiti earthquake, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2021GL096373, 2022. PDF

  26. Okuwaki, R., S. Hicks, T. Craig, W. Fan, S. Goes, T. Wright, and Y. Yagi, Illuminating a Contorted Slab with a Complex Intraslab Rupture Evolution during the 2021 Mw 7.3 East Cape, New Zealand Earthquake, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2021GL095117, 2021. PDF

  27. Lin, G., V. A. Huerfano, and W. Fan, Crustal architecture of Puerto Rico using body-wave seismic tomography and high-resolution earthquake relocation, Seismol. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1785/0220210223, 2021. PDF

  28. Meng, H. and W. Fan, Immediate foreshocks indicating cascading rupture developments for 527 M 0.9 to 5.4 Ridgecrest earthquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2021GL095704, 2021. PDF

  29. Okuwaki, R., W. Fan, M. Yamada, H. Osawa, and T.J. Wright, Identifying landslides from continuous seismic surface waves: a case study of multiple small-scale landslides triggered by Typhoon Talas, 2011, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggab129, 2021. PDF

  30. Fan, W., A. J. Barbour, E. S. Cochran, and G. Lin, Charateristics of frequent dynamic triggering of microearthquakes in Southern California, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1029/2020JB020820, 2020. PDF

  31. Fan, W., J.J. McGuire, and P.M. Shearer, Abundant spontaneous and dynamically triggered submarine landslides in the Gulf of Mexico, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2020GL087213, 2020. PDF

  32. ten Brink, U., Y. Wei, W. Fan, J. Granjia-Bruna, and N. Miller, Mysterious tsunami in the Caribbean Sea following the 2010 Haiti earthquake possibly generated by dynamically triggered early aftershocks, Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116269, 2020. PDF

  33. Fan, W., J.J. McGuire, C. de Groot-Hedlin, M. A.H. Hedlin, S. Coats, and J. W. Fiedler, Stormquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2019GL084217, 2019. PDF

  34. Neely, J. S., Y. Huang, and W. Fan, Earthquake rupture characteristics along a developing transform boundary, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggz357, 2019. PDF

  35. Fan, W., S. S. Wei, D. Tian, J.J. McGuire, and D. A. Wiens, Complex and diverse rupture processes of the 2018 Mw 8.2 and Mw 7.9 Tonga-Fiji deep earthquakes, Geophys. Res. Lett., doi: 10.1029/2018GL080997, 2019. PDF

  36. Fan, W., C. de Groot-Hedlin, M. A.H. Hedlin, and Z. Ma, Using surface waves recorded by a large mesh of three-element arrays to detect and locate disparate seismic sources, Geophys. J. Int.,doi: 10.1093/gji/ggy316, 2018. PDF

  37. Fan, W. and J. J. McGuire, Investigating microearthquake finite source attributes with IRIS Community Wavefield Demonstration Experiment in Oklahoma, Geophys. J. Int., doi: 10.1093/gji/ggy203, 2018. PDF

  38. Fan, W. and P. M. Shearer, Coherent seismic arrivals in the P‐wave coda of the 2012 Mw 7.2 Sumatra earthquake: water reverberations or an early aftershock?, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1002/2018JB015573, 2018. PDF

  39. Fan, W., D. Bassett, J. Jiang, P. M. Shearer, and C. Ji, Rupture evolution of the 2006 Java tsunami earthquake and the possible role of splay faults, Tectonophysics, doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2017.10.003, 2017. PDF

  40. Fan, W. and P. M. Shearer, Investigation of back-projection uncertainties with M6 earthquakes, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, doi: 10.1002/2017JB014495, 2017. PDF

  41. Fan, W. and P. M. Shearer, Local near instantaneously dynamically triggered aftershocks of large earthquakes, Science, 353, 1133-1136, doi: 10.1126/science.aag0013, 2016. PDF

  42. Fan, W., P. M. Shearer, C. Ji, and D. Bassett, Multiple branching rupture of the 2009 Tonga-Samoa earthquake, J. Geophys. Res, 121, doi: 10.1002/2016JB012945, 2016. PDF

  43. Mai PM, Schorlemmer D, Page M, Ampuero JP, Asano K, Causse M, Custodio S, Fan W, Festa G, Galis M, Gallovic F. et al., The earthquake‐source inversion validation (SIV) project. Seismol. Res. Lett., 87, no. 3, doi: 10.1785/0220150231, 2016. PDF

  44. Fan, W. and P. M. Shearer, Fault interactions and triggering during the 10 January 2012 Mw 7.2 Sumatra earthquake, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 1934–1942, doi: 10.1002/2016GL067785, 2016. PDF

  45. Melgar, D., W. Fan, S. Riquelme, J. Geng, C. Liang, M. Fuentes, G. Vargas, R. M. Allen, P. M. Shearer, and E. J. Fielding, Slip segmentation and slow rupture to the trench during the 2015, Mw8.3 Illapel, Chile earthquake, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 961–966, doi: 10.1002/2015GL067369, 2016. PDF

  46. Denolle, M. A., W. Fan, and P. M. Shearer, Dynamics of the 2015 M7.8 Nepal earthquake, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 7467-7475, doi: 10.1002/2015GL065336, 2015. PDF

  47. Fan, W. and P. M. Shearer, Detailed rupture imaging of the 25 April 2015 Nepal earthquake using teleseismic P waves, Geophys. Res. Lett., 42, 7467-7475, doi: 10.1002/2015GL064587, 2015. PDF

  48. Fan, W., Y.J. Chen, Y. Tang, S Zhou, Y. Feng, H. Yue, H. Wang, G. Jin, S. Wei, Y. Wang, Z. Gai, and J. Ning, Crust and Upper Mantle Velocity Structure of the eastern Tibetan Plateau and adjacent regions from Ambient Noise Tomography, Chinese J. Geophys., (in Chinese), 58(5),: 1568-1583, doi: 10.6038/cjg20150510, 2015. PDF

  49. Fan, W., P. M. Shearer, and P. Gerstoft, Kinematic earthquake rupture inversion in the frequency domain, Geophys. J. Int., 199, 1138-1160, doi: 10.1093/gji/ggu319, 2014. PDF

  50. Yue, H., Y. Chen, E. Sandvol, J. Ni, T. Hearn, S. Zhou, Y. Feng, Z. Ge, A. Trujillo, Y. Wang, G. Jin, M. Jiang, Y. Tang, X. Liang, S. Wei, H. Wang, W. Fan, and Z. Liu, Lithospheric and upper mantle structure of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth 117, B05307, doi: 10.1029/2011JB008545, 2012. PDF

  51. Tang, Y., Y. Chen, H. Wang, S. Zhou, J. Ning, Y. Yang, Z. Ding, R. Liu, Y. Feng, P. Li, C. Yu, S. Wei, and W. Fan, Ambient noise tomography in north China craton, Chinese J. Geophys., (in Chinese), 54(8), 2011--2022, doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0001-5733.2011.08.008, 2011.

  52. Tang, X., W. Fan, Y. Feng., Y. Tang., Y. J. Chen, and L. Zhu, Phase velocity tomography of Rayleigh wave in Xinjiang from ambient noise, Chinese J. Geophys., (in Chinese), 54(8).: 2042-2049, doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0001-5733.2011.08.011, 2011.

  53. Jiang, M., S. Zhou, E. Sandvol, X. Chen, X. Liang, Y. Chen, and W. Fan, 3-D lithospheric structure beneath southern Tibet from Rayleigh-wave tomography with a 2-D seismic array, Geophys. J. Int. 185, 593-608, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.04979.x, 2011. PDF

  54. Wei, S., Y. Chen, E. Sandvol, S. Zhou, H. Yue, G. Jin, T. Hearn, M. Jiang, H. Wang, W. Fan, Z. Liu, Z. Ge, Y. Wang, Y. Feng, and J. Ni, Regional earthquakes in northern Tibetan Plateau: Implications for lithospheric strength in Tibet, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L19307, doi: 10.1029/2010GL044800, 2010. PDF

  55. Tang, Y., Y. Feng, Y. Chen, S. Zhou, J. Ning, S. Wei, P. Li, C. Yu, and W. Fan, Receiver function analysis at Shanxi Rift, Chinese J. Geophys., (in Chinese) 53(9), 2102-2109, doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0001-5733.2010.09.010, 2010.