Description

Led by members of CRESCENT's Coupling, Seismicity, and Slow Slip (C3S) working group, this technical short course provides requisite tools for recognizing how earthquake cycle signatures in the Cascadia Subduction Zone are expressed in geodetic observations. It will introduce basic processing of geodetic time series to interpret longer-term strain accumulation processes and slow slip events. It will cover extracting velocities and displacements from geodetic time-series observations and introduce basic inverse methods to use geodetic data to constrain fault slip patterns. Analysis of geodetic data offers opportunities for students to gain geoscience-specific skills, but also data science skills, and will contribute to improving our understanding of the spectrum of slip processes on the subduction interface. 

The course will include lectures and introduction to Python computing tools, as well as free time for participants to gain hands-on experience with the tools using Jupyter notebooks. 

Learning Objectives
By the end of this short course, participants will be able to: 

• Understanding basic GNSS time series signals
• Load and visualize GNSS time series data
• Use algorithms to estimate interseismic, coseismic, and slow slip signatures
• Use geodetic displacement fields to estimate fault slip patterns
• Use geodetic velocity fields to estimate interseismic coupling patterns
• Understand how viscoelastic processes influence observed deformation 

How to Apply

• The application closes April 15, 2026 at 11:59 pm Pacific Daylight Time. 
• Apply Here
• See the Course Page for more information.

Requirements

Prerequisites

• This course is for upper-level undergraduate students, graduate students, postdocs, and professionals in the field of geodesy and tectonics who have specific research or application needs for using geodetic data to image fault slip processes.  
• An individual computer that has an internet browser and a minimum stable internet connection speed of 5 Mb/s.
• Ability to explain how this course aligns with your current research or technical goals. 
  

Recommended Background

To get the most out of this course, participants are encouraged to have:

• Intermediate Python computing skills including: Use of numpy and pandas
• Familiarity with working in a development environment (conda, pixi, etc.)
• Proficient knowledge in Jupyter notebooks
• General understanding of linear algebra and inverse theory
• Basic understanding of the earthquake cycle and tectonic settings