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Headshot of Bill Hammond outside.

Bill Hammond

Research Professor, ÁùºÏ±¦µä Bureau of Mines and Geology He/him/his

Summary

Dr. Hammond is a Professor of Geodesy and Geophysics in the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Geodetic Laboratory within the ÁùºÏ±¦µä Bureau of Mines and Geology at the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno. He studies active processes at work in the solid Earth using space geodetic techniques such as GPS and InSAR. Topics include active crustal deformation and seismic cycle deformation, mountain building, geophysical loading of Earth’s surface, related controls on aquifers and geothermal resources, interactions between magmatic, tectonic, and climate systems.

Recently he has worked on using geodesy to study vertical motion of Earth’s surface and its impact on sea level rise. He operates the MAGNET GPS network in the western Great Basin, a USGS-supported geodetic infrastructure for research in geodynamics and seismic hazards. His recent service includes chairing the advisory committee for the NSF EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory, secretary of the geodesy section of the American Geophysical Union, Associate Editor for the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, and serving on the National Academy of Science Board on Earth Science and Resources. He is author or co-author of ~90 articles, book chapters, maps, conference proceedings, guidebooks, and reports, and has been PI or co-PI on over 40 funded research projects. He was a postdoc at the US Geological Survey in Menlo Park, California before joining the University of ÁùºÏ±¦µä, Reno in 2004.

Research interests

  • Tectonic and volcanic geodesy
  • Seismic cycle deformation of the Earth’s crust and mantle 
  • Analysis of GPS and InSAR data for measurement of crustal movement 
  • Active uplift of mountain belts
  • Dynamics of the lithosphere and its response to loads
  • Mantle flow
  • Faults slip rates, mechanics and seismic hazard 
  • Seismic tomography and anisotropy

Education

  • Ph.D., Geophysics, University of Oregon, 2000
  • B.A., Applied Mathematics, University of California, Berkeley, 1989

Classes taught

  • GPH 411/611/701(i) - Geophysical Geodesy
  • GPH 455/655 - Global Geophysics
  • GPH 768 - Radar Imaging - Geoscience Applications

Selected publications

  • Hammond, W.C. , C. Kreemer, I. Zaliapin, G. Blewitt, 2019, Drought-triggered magmatic inflation, crustal strain and seismicity near the Long Valley Caldera, Central Walker Lane, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth, 124(6), 6072– 6091, https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JB017354.
  • Murray, J., et al., 2019, Regional Global Navigation Satellite System networks, Seismo. Res. Lett., https://doi.org/10.1785/0220190113.
  • Anderson, J. G., et al,, 2019, A seismic hazards overview of the urban regions of ÁùºÏ±¦µä: Recent advancements and research directions, Seis. Res. Lett., 90(4): 1577-1583, https://doi.org/10.1785/0220180357.
  • Blewitt, G., W.C. Hammond, C. Kreemer, 2018, Harnessing the GPS data explosion for tomorrow's science applications, Eos, 99, https://doi.org/10.1029/2018EO104623.
  • Hammond, W.C., R. Burgette, K. Johnson, G. Blewitt, 2018, Uplift of the Western Transverse Ranges and Ventura area of Southern California: A four-technique geodetic study combining GPS, InSAR, leveling and tide gauges, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth, 122, doi: 10.1002/2017JB014499.
  • Kreemer, C. W.C. Hammond, G. Blewitt, 2018, A robust estimation of the 3D intraplate deformation of the North American plate from GPS, Journal of Geophysical Research - Solid Earth, 123, doi: 10.1029/2017JB015257.
  • Hammond, W.C., G. Blewitt, C. Kreemer, 2016, GPS Imaging of vertical land motion in California and ÁùºÏ±¦µä: Implications for Sierra ÁùºÏ±¦µä uplift, J. Geophys. Res., 121, n. 10, p. 7681-7703, doi: 10.1002/2016JB013458.
  • Hamlington, B.D., P. Thompson, W.C. Hammond, G. Blewitt, R. Ray, 2016, Assessing the impact of vertical land motion on 20th century global mean sea level estimates, J. Geophys. Res.-Oceans, 121, doi:10.1002/2016JC011747.
  • Bormann, J., W.C. Hammond, C. Kreemer, G. Blewitt, 2016, Accommodation of missing shear strain in the Central Walker Lane, western North America: Constraints from dense GPS measurements, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 440, p. 169-177, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2016.01.015.
  • Blewitt, G., C. Kreemer, W.C. Hammond, J. Gazeaux, 2016, MIDAS trend estimator for accurate GPS station velocities without step detection, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 121, 2054-2068, doi:10.1002/2015JB012552