The MTMOD Summer Schools were a project-based intensive learning experience in earthquake science and computational geophysics. The instructional team is made up of visitors and researchers of the Megathrust Modeling Framework project (https://sites.utexas.edu/mtmod/), which is an NSF-funded Frontier Research in Earth Science collaborative effort to advance our understanding of megathrust earthquakes.

The curriculum is rooted in the Legacy Cycle learning model, which mimics the activities of a practicing scientist and frames the curriculum in the context of stages a researcher typically works through when approaching a problem. Other events included the 2025 New Zealand Workshop on Physics Based Seismic Hazard Models, and our 2024 MTMOD research retreat.

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2025 New Zealand Workshop on Physics Based Seismic Hazard Models

2024 Research Collaboration Retreat – August 5-9, 2024 – Austin, Texas

2023

MTMOD Annual Allhands Meeting December 7-9, 2023 – San Diego, California

Summer School August 7-11, Austin TX August 7-11, Austin, TX

Team research challenge questions:How does the thermo-mechanical and tectonic setting of the large Japan region relate to different styles of seismicity on the Japan and Nankai Troughs? How do we go from regional tectonics to understanding seismic cycle time-scale loading and rupture scenarios?

Instructors/mentors: Becker, Cattania, Gabriel, Han, Johnson, Kaneko, Kato, Liu, May, Saffer, Trugman.

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Lectures

• Introduction and statement of challenge (Becker) Slides | Recording
• L1 Slow slip and earthquake cycles behavior on the Japan and Nankai Trench (Kato) Slides | Recording
• L2 Long-term cycle constraints on the Japan and Nankai Trench (Johnson) Slides | Recording
• L3 Active and passive source seismological constraints on Nankai and Japan trenches (Han) Slides | Recording
• L4 Rupture dynamics and scaling (Kaneko) Slides | Recording
• L5 Rock mechanics and drilling constraints (Saffer) Slides | Recording

Tutorials

• T1 Thermo-mechanical state of the megathrust interface (Hobson and May)
• T2 Stress inversions (Sun and Trugman) Slides
• T3 Asperity modeling – from locking to nucleation (Cattania)
• T4 Rupture dynamics and scaling (Kaneko) Slides | Recording (begins at 1:32)

2022

August 8-12 , Austin, TX

Team research challenge questions: Asses the time-dependent hazard following the Kaikoura, NZ earthquake.

Instructors/mentors: Becker, Cattania, Christophersen, Gabriel, Johnson, Liu, Materna, Trugman, Wallace

Lectures:

Tutorials:

Software and Resources:

Links to software and resources used on our Software page.