Research

Summary of Recent Research Efforts

1. Director, Geodesy Laboratory & PANGA Data Analysis Facility
2. Along strike variation in Cascadia margin deformation: A world-class natural laboratory for testing and comparing subduction zone interseismic strain accumulation models. These studies directly support seismic risk evaluation in the urban corridor from Puget Sound to Portland, Oregon.
3. Contemporary deformation in the Puget Lowlands, Washington: Contributions from periodic silent earthquakes and crustal faults
4. Kinematics of the Eastern California shear zone. How is deformation partitioned along the Pacific-North America transform plate boundary.
5. Variations in sea-level change along the Cascadia margin: Coastal and seismic hazards and geodynamics. What are the relative contributions of regional and global processes to historic sea level rise?
6. Neogene deformation in the central Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan, one of the largest and most active intracontinental mountain ranges in the world. What are the dynamic processes that control intracontinental mountain building?

Research Collaboration

These projects have been conducted through collaboration with:

• UNAVCO
• Tony Qamar (University of Washington)
• Ray Weldon (University of Oregon)
• Tim Dixon (University of Miami)
• Chris Goldfinger (Oregon State University)

Published Work

Recently Published Papers:

M. Meghan Miller, Tim Melbourne, Daniel J. Johnson, William Q. Sumner, 2002, Periodic slow earthquakes from the Cascadia subduction zone, Science, March 29, 2002.

M. M. Miller, D. J. Johnson, C. M. Rubin, H. Dragert, K. Wang, A. Qamar, and C. Goldfinger, 2001, GPS-determination of along-strike variation in Cascadia margin kinematics: Implications for relative plate motion, subduction zone coupling, and permanent deformation, Tectonics, v. 20, p. 161-176.

M. Meghan Miller, Daniel J. Johnson, Timothy H.Dixon, and Roy K. Dokka, 2001, Refined kinematics of the Eastern California shear zone from GPS observations, 1993-1998, Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 106, p. 2245-2264.

National Committees and Resume

• Member, Plate Boundary Observatory Steering Committee
• Member, UNAVCO Steering Committee
• Director and Treasurer, Board of Directors, UNAVCO, Inc.
• Meghan Miller resume [PDF format]

Teaching and Schedule

Courses

• GEOL 370, Stratigraphy
• GEOL 501, Current Topics in Geology
• GEOL 487: End-of-major review
• GEOL 170: Earthquakes, Volcanoes and Civilization

Tentative schedule, 2002

• February 25-28: UNACVO Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado
• March 18-22: Spring break
• April 18-21: GEOL 370, Oregon coast trip
• May 13-15: GSA, Cordilleran meeting, Corvallis, Oregon