Stephen Martel

Biographical Information

Steve Martel is a Professor in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, a unit of SOEST, at the University of Hawaii. He has been a member of the faculty since 1992. Prior to coming to Hawaii he worked at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the Bureau of Economic Geology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Research

• Formation of faults and other types of fractures (e.g., sheeting joints)
• Fluid flow along fracture systems
• Initiation of landslides, subaerial and submarine
• Effects of topography on near-surface stresses
• Neotectonics

Detailed fieldwork and development of physically realistic models for fracture in the earth, especially shear fracture, are central components of this research. Recent articles in the Journal of Structural Geology, the Journal of Geophysical Research, and Pure and Applied Geophysics describe some of this basic research (see link below). Much of Steve's field research has been done on faults in the Sierra Nevada of California. The support of the U.S. Department of Energy, the Offfice of Naval Research, and the U.S. National Science Foundation is gratefully acknowledged.

Publications List

An errata page is linked to the publications page. The errata page has corrections for errors in the 1997 paper in the Journal of Structual Geology and the 1998 paper in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Students

Bill Boger (M.S., University of Hawaii, 1997)
Bill developed a boundary element code that is being used to investigate fractures in three dimensions. Results of his work have been published in the Journal of Geophysical Research and are being applied to faults, landslides, and dikes.

Chris Okubo (B.S., University of Hawaii, 1997; Ph.D. University of Nevada-Reno 2005)
Chris completed his undergraduate thesis on the formation of pit craters on Kilauea. The research has since been published in the Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research. He is now a targeting specialist at the Planetary Image Research Laboratory at the University of Arizona for the HiRISE camera on-board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter.

Stephan Bergbauer (M.S., University of Hawaii, 1998; Ph.D., Stanford, 2002)
Stephan examined how thermal stresses in a cooling pluton contribute to the formation of joints. This work involved both field work and computer modeling; it has been published in Geophysical Research Letters and the Journal of Structural Geology. He is now employed by BP.

Jordan Muller (M.S., University of Hawaii, 1999; Ph.D. Stanford, 2004)
Jordan investigated deformation during the incipient stages of landsliding. Papers by Steve and Jordan can be downloaded in pdf format (if you have access permission) from Pure and Applied Geophysics. Jordan, Garrett Ito, and Steve also have used gelatin models to investigate the effects of a volcano on underlying dikes. After serving as a National Research Council Research Associate at the Planetary Geodynamics Laboratory, NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center, Jordan has accepted a position at the State Department.

Jason Langley (M.S., University of Hawaii, 2000)
Jason explored how normal faults break the surface, with the Big Island (i.e., the island of Hawaii) serving as the field site. His thesis combines geologic mapping and two-dimensional boundary element analyses. A paper stemming from his research appears in the Journal of Structural Geology. Jason is a senior staff geologist at Geosyntec.

Vincent Caillaud and Ludovic Talon (B.S., 2001, Ecole Polytechnique)
Vincent and Ludovic worked with Steve on externships, studying normal faults on the Big Island.

Michael Dahilig (B.S., 2003, University of Hawaii)
Michael's senior thesis is on mass wasting hazards and associated statutory guidelines. His thesis is available on-line as a pdf file. Michael is now in Law School at the University of Hawaii.

Matt d'Alessio (Ph.D., 2004, UC Berkeley)
Matt worked with Steve on a faulting project in the Sierra Nevada. Matt's web site illustrates some of the geology and the great scenery we have enjoyed in our work in the Sierra. Two articles have been published in the Journal of Structural Geology. A third is in preparation. Matt has completed a Mendenhall post-doctoral position with the USGS and is now a high school teacher in El Cerrito, CA.

Ole Kaven (BS, 2001, MS, 2004, University of Hawaii; Ph.D. candidate at Stanford)
Ole's thesis was on the three-dimensional growth of normal faults on the Big Island. His research is in press in the Journal of Structural Geology.

Kelly Mitchell (B.S. 2005, Utah State University)
Kelly started in the fall of 2006. She is investigating sheeting joints in Yosemite National Park.

Numerous other students have worked with Steve as a research advisor. Their areas of interest include civil engineering, planetary geology, land-use, hydrology, and marine geology and geophysics.

Teaching

Service

Professional Recognition

Education

• B.S. Geology, University of California at Davis, 1980

• M.S. Engineering Geology, Stanford, 1984

• Ph.D. Geomechanics, Stanford, 1987

Course Notes and Other Educational Materials