Curriculum Vitae

 


Michael Donald Tryon

Assistant Research Hydrogeologist IV

Email: mtryon@ucsd.edu

Web-page: http://TryonLab.ucsd.edu

Scripps Institution of Oceanography

9500 Gilman Dr,  0220

La Jolla, CA 92093-0220

(858) 822-0591


Education

Post-graduate: Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, La Jolla, CA. 3/2002-1/2005.

Graduate: Ph.D., Earth Science, 2002, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, UCSD, La Jolla CA; Dissertation: The development and application of a new benthic aqueous flux meter for very low to moderate discharge rates

Undergraduate: B.S. Earth Science, 1995, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA.

Employment

Assistant Research Hydrogeologist, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, 7/2011-present.

Project Scientist, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, 1/2005-6/2011.

Post-Doctoral Researcher, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, 3/2002-1/2005.

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Field Geology, Optical Mineralogy; 1996-2001.

Graduate Research Assistant, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA; 1995-2002.

Research Assistant, Scripps Inst. of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA; 1992 to 1995.

Research Interests

Physical, hydrologic, and chemical processes associated with active submarine fault zones

Physical, hydrologic, and chemical processes associated with cold seeps and mud volcanoes

Physical, hydrologic, and geochemical consequences of gas hydrate formation and destruction

Physical processes associated with the structural evolution of convergent margins

Seafloor instrument development

Current and Recent Projects

 

PI on NSF grant 10/11-9/14: Collaborative Research: Post-seismic response updip of the Chilean megathrust earthquake of February 27, 2010

PI on NSF grant 8/11-7/14: Sampling the intermediate loop of the subduction factory at Nankai: The mud volcanoes of the Kumano Basin, Japan

coPI on NSF grant 4/10-3/11: RAPID: Chilean Earthquake Rupture Survey

PI on NSF/IODP grant 1/10-12/11: Muddy Waters: Deep-seated fluid flow processes, seismic faulting and mud volcanism in a mature collision zone

PI on NSF grant 4/07-3/10: Hydrologic and Geochemical Measurements During the Marnaut Project, Marmara Sea, Turkey

PI on NSF grant 1/08-6/12: Development Of A Next Generation Subseabed Pore Pressure Instrument For Marine Hydrogeology: The PUPPI-II

PI on research contract with IFM-GEOMAR 8/07-7/11: The West Nile Delta Project

PI on ESONET research contract 5/08-4/11: Multidisciplinary Seafloor Observatories of Seismogenic Hazards Monitoring in the Marmara Sea an ESONET Demonstration Mission (MarmaraDM)

coPI on NSF grant 1/07-12/11: A Moored Geodetic Seafloor Monitoring System (GEOCE)

Service/Outreach/Mentoring

UNOLS Deep Submergence Science Committee (DESSC) member (appointment 2006-2012)

SIO Marine Operations Committee (2011-2012)

SIO Marine Sciences Development Shop Committee (2010-2012)

Reviewer for numerous publications and NSF and IODP proposals

Judge for the Southern California Marine Advanced Technology Education Center ROV Competition for Middle and High School students

Mentor/advisor for Ph.D. student Alison LaBonte (2002-2007)

Mentor/advisor for STAR program student Dawn James (2003)

Ph.D. committee member / advisor for Jared Kluesner (current)

Ph.D. committee member / advisor for Peter Barry (current)

Seagoing experience

5-10 weeks per year at sea (1995-2010)

       Chief Scientist – R/V Atlantis AT15-5; June 2006

Chief Scientist – R/V Ewing EW 0212; December 2003

Chief Scientist – numerous smaller ship cruises (Wecoma, Sproul, Urraca, etc.)

Experience using a variety of deep submergence vehicles including Alvin, Nautile, Johnson Sea Link, Delta, Oceanic Explorer, Jason (I&II), Hyper Dolphin, Scorpio, Ventana, and ROPOS – 90 hours manned submersible and >1000 hours ROV time

Honors

Regents Fellowship, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; 1995-1996.

Deans list, University of California, San Diego; 1991-1995.

Memberships

American Geophysical Union

Marine Technology Society

Recent and current collaborators


Achim Kopf – U. Bremen

Lisa Levin – SIO

Pierre Henry – College de France

David Chadwell – SIO

Warner Brckmann – GEOMAR

Marta Torres – Oregon State

Namik agatay – Istanbul Technical Univ.

Anthony Rathburn – Indiana State

Uwe Send – SIO

Luca Gasperini – Inst. of Marine Sciences

Gerard Fryer – U. Hawaii

Kevin Brown – SIO

David Hilton – SIO

Louis Gli - IFREMER


 

Publications - Manuscripts

 

Tryon, M.D., K.M. Brown, M.E. Torres, A.M. Trehu, J. McManus, and R.W. Collier, Measurements of transience and downward fluid flow near episodic methane gas vents, Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia, Geology, 27 (12), 1075-1078, 1999.

Tryon, M.D., K.M. Brown, L. Dorman, and A. Sauter, A new benthic aqueous flux meter for very low to moderate discharge rates, Deep-Sea Research, Part I, 48 (9), 2121-2146, 2001.

Tryon, M.D., and K.M. Brown, Complex flow patterns through forearc gas hydrates and their impact on seep biota, Geophysical Research Letters, 28 (14), 2863-2866, 2001.

Tryon, M.D., K.M. Brown, M.E. Torres, Fluid and chemical fluxes in and out of sediments hosting hydrate deposits on Hydrate Ridge, OR, II: Hydrological processes, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 201 (3-4), 541-557, 2002.

Torres, M.E., J. McManus, D. Hammond, M.A de Angelis, K. Heeschen, S.L. Colbert, M.D. Tryon, K.M. Brown, and E. Suess, Fluid and chemical fluxes in and out of sediments hosting hydrate deposits on Hydrate Ridge, OR, I: Hydrological provinces, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 201 (3-4), 525-540, 2002.

Tryon, M.D., The Development and Application of a New Benthic Aqueous Flux Meter for Very Low to Moderate Discharce Rates, Doctoral Dissertation, University of California, San Diego, 2002.

Spinelli, G.A., A.T. Fisher, C.G. Wheat, M.D. Tryon, K.M. Brown, and A.R. Flegal, Groundwater seepage into San Francisco Bay estimated from seepage meters and porewater geochemistry: Implications for disolved metals budgets, Water Resources Research, 38 (7), 19 pp., 2002.

Levin, L.A., W. Ziebis, G.F. Mendoza, V.A. Growney, M.D. Tryon, K.M. Brown, C. Mahn, J.M. Gieskes, and A.E. Rathburn, Spatial heterogeneity of macrofauna at northern California methane seeps: influence of sulfide concentration and fluid flow, Marine Ecology Progress Series, 265, 123-139, 2003.

Tryon, M.D. and K.M. Brown, Fluid and chemical cycling at Bush Hill: Implications for gas- and hydrate-rich environments, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), 5 (12), 1-7, 2004.

Brown, K.M., M.D. Tryon, H.R. DeShon, L.M. Dorman, and S. Schwartz, Correlated Transient Fluid Pulsing and Seismic Tremor in the Costa Rica Subduction Zone, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 238, 189-203, 2005.

LaBonte, A.L., Brown, K.M., Tryon, M.D., Monitoring periodic and episodic flow events at Monterey Bay seeps using a new optical flow meter, Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, B02105, doi:10.1029/2006JB004410, 2007.

Gli, L., P. Henry, T. Zitter, S. Dupr, M. Tryon, M.N. agatay, B. Mercier de Lpinay, X. Le Pichon, AMC Sengor, N. Grr, B. Natalyn, G. Uarkus, S. zeren, D. Volker, L. Gasperini, P. Bernard, S. Bourlange, and the Marnaut Scientific Party, Gas emissions and active tectonics within the submerged section of the North Anatolian Fault zone in the Sea of Marmara, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 274 (1-2), 34-39, 2008.

Tryon, M.D., Monitoring aseismic tectonic processes via hydrologic responses: An analysis of log-periodic fluid flow events at the Costa Rica outer rise, Geology, 37 (2), 163-166, 2009.

Rathburn, A. E., L. A. Levin, M. Tryon, J. M. Gieskes, J. B. Martin,  M. E. Prez F. J. Fodrie, C. Neira, G.J. Fryer, G. Mendoza, P. A. McMillan, J. Kluesner, J. Adamic, W. Ziebis, Geological and biological heterogeneity of the Aleutian margin (2000-4800 m), Progress in Oceanography, 80, 22-50, 2009.

Barry, P.H., D.R. Hilton, M.D. Tryon, K.M. Brown, J.T. Kulongoski, A New Syringe Pump Apparatus for the Retrieval and Temporal Analysis of Helium (SPARTAH) in groundwaters and geothermal fluids, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), (Technical Briefs), doi:10.1029/2009GC002422, 2009.

Fri, E., D.R. Hilton, K.M. Brown, and M.D. Tryon, Helium systematics of cold seep fluids at Monterey Bay, California (USA): temporal variations and mantle contributions, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), doi:10.1029/2009GC002557, 2009.

Tryon, M.D., Wheat, C.G., Hilton, D.R., Fluid sources and pathways of the Costa Rica erosional convergent margin, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), doi:10.1029/2009GC002818, 2010.

Fri, E., D.R. Hilton, M.D. Tryon, K.M. Brown, G.M. McMurtry, W. Brckmann, and C.G. Wheat, Carbon release from submarine seeps at the Costa Rica fore-arc: Implications for the volatile cycle at the Central America convergent margin, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), 10.1029/2009GC002810, 2010.

Gasperini, L., A. Polonia, G. Bortoluzzi, P. Henry, X, Le Pichon, M. Tryon, M.N. agatay, and L. Gli, How far did the surface rupture of the 1999 Izmit earthquake reach in Sea of Marmara? Tectonics, 30 (TC1010), doi:10.1029/2010TC002726, 2011.

Tryon, M.D., P. Henry, M.N. agatay, T. Zitter, L. Gli, L. Gasperini, P. Burnard, S. Bourlange, and C. Grall, Pore fluid chemistry of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Sea of Marmara: A diversity of sources and processes, Geology, Geophysics, and Geosystems (G-Cubed), doi:10.1029/2010GC003177, 2010.

Tryon, M.D., P. Henry, D.R. Hilton, Quantifying the activity of fluid seeps of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Sea of Marmara, submitted to Marine Geology, Feb. 2011.

 

Burnard, P., Bourlange, S., Henry, P., Geli, L., Tryon, M., and the MARNAUT Scientific Party, Constraints on fluid origins and velocities along the Marmara Main Fault (Sea of Marmara, Turkey) using helium isotopes, submitted to Earth and Planetary Science Letters, Sep. 2011.

Dorman, L.M., Scwartz, S.Y., Tryon, M.D., Dual-frequency coherence of nonvolcanic seismic tremor, submitted to Journal of Geophysical Research, Aug 2011

 

Publications - Meeting abstracts and white papers

 

Fryer, G., S. Kirby, H. Ryan,  D. Scholl, M. Tryon,  R. von Huene, Understanding Alaska tsunamis generated by slope failure,  White Paper for GeoPRISMS Alaska Planning Workshop, Portland, OR, Sept. 22-24, 2011.

Dorman, L.M., Schwartz, S.Y., Tryon, M.D., Dual-frequency coherence of nonvolcanic seismic tremor, Acoustical Society of America, San Diego,  31Oct-4Nov. 2011.

Chadwell, C.D., Tryon, M.D., Send, U., Deformation Measurements across an entire Subduction Plate Boundary: Cascadia Subduction Zone, GeoPRISMS Subduction Cycles and Deformation White Paper for GeoPRISMS subduction implementation meeting, Jan. 2011, Austin TX.

Zitter, T.A.C, C. Grall, P. Henry, L. Gli, M.N. ağatay, S. Ozeren, S. Dupre, M. Tryon, S. Bourlange, Fluid seepage along the North Anatolian Fault, in the Sea of Marmara, in relation with tectonics and sedimentary environments, GSA Abstract #174990 - Tectonic Crossroads: Evolving Orogens of Eurasia-Africa-Arabia, Ankarra, Turkey, 2010.

Brueckmann, W., Bialas, J., Lefeldt, M., Tryon, M., Seismic triggers of fluid flow in the North Alex mud volcano in the western Nile deep-sea fan, 10th International Conference on Gas in Marine Sediments, 6-12 September, 2010

Chadwell, C.D.,  P. Lonsdale, W. Weinrebe, J. Diaz-Naveas,  X. Contardo-Berrios, E. Contreras-Reyes, A. Henig, J. Kluesner, E. Moscoso, E. Raquel-Barroso, G. Sasagawa, A. Sweeney, M. Tryon, M. Viel-Gonzalez, M. Zumberge, Offshore investigations of the 27 Feb. 2010 Maule, Chile earthquake rupture, AGU Chapman Conference Giant Earthquakes and their Tsunami, Vina del Mar, Chile, 16-20 May 2010.

Tryon, M.D., Wheat, C.G., Hilton, D.R., Evidence for subduction of upper plate serpentine at the western edge of the Caribbean plate, Eos Trans. AGU, 90 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T51D-05, 2009.

Brckmann, W., Tryon, M.D., Bialas, J., Feseker, T., Lefeldt, M., Monitoring the dynamic properties of an active mud volcano in the West Nile Delta, Eos Trans. AGU, 90 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS21A-1156, 2009.

Chadwell, C.D., Brown, K.M., Tryon, M.D., Send, U., Seafloor horizontal  positioning from a continuously operating GPS and acoustic buoy, Eos Trans. AGU, 90 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract G22A-01, 2009.

Gli L., Henry, P., M.N. ağatay, M.D. Tryon, Luca Gasperini, and MarNaut Science Party, Relations between fluid seepage and seismic activity in the Sea of Marmara, within the submerged section of the North Anatolian Fault, Eos Trans. AGU, 90 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T13C-1882, 2009.

Fryer, G.J., McMurtry, G.M., Tryon, M.D., Landslide versus splay: The source for the near-field tsunami of 1 April 1946, Eos Trans. AGU, 90 (52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract NH31B-1109, 2009.

Tryon, M.D., Observatory-based hydrological and geochemical measurement techniques, ESONET NoE training course on Seafloor Observatory Techniques for Marine Geohazard Monitoring, Istanbul, Turkey, 2009.

Gli, L., P. Henry, M.N. agatay, T Zitter, S. Dupr, M. Tryon, B. Mercier de Lpinay, X. Le Pichon, AMC Sengor, N. Grr, S. zeren, L. Gasperini, J.B. Tary, M. Cevatoglu, S. Bourlange, P. Bernard, J-L. Charlou, and the Marnaut Scientific Party, Relationships between fluid seepage and seismic activity in the Sea of Marmara, 17 August 1999 Izmit Earthquake: 10th Anniversary Symposium, 2009.

Fri, E., D.R. Hilton, M.D. Tryon, and K.M. Brown, Towards Quantifying Volatile Fluxes and Origins from the Costa Rican Fore-Arc Using Novel Submarine Instrumentation, MARGINS TEI Workshop, Oregon, 2009.

Hilton, D.R., E. Furi, T.P. Fisher, C. Ramirez, M. Tryon, P.H. Barry, K. Brown, G. Alvarado, W. Montero, P. Denyer, He-CO2 characteristics of submarine and subaerial fluids of the Costa Rica forearc, Goldschmidt conference, Switzerland, 2009.

Tary, J., T. Bardainne, L. Gli, P. Henry, M. Yilmazer, M. Tryon, B. Natalin, N. agatay, P. Burnard, S. Bourlange, Micro-seismicity of the submerged section of the North-Anatolian Fault within the Sea of Marmara : Results from Ocean Bottom Seismometers, Eos Trans. AGU, 89 (53), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T13A-1926, 2008.

agatay, M.N., L. Belucci, A. Polonia, U. Sancar,  K. Eris, L. Gasperini, N. Grr, P. Henry, T.A.C. Zitter, L. Gli, M. Tryon, Geochemical and Sedimentological Characteristics of the Turbidites Related to Earthquake Activity in the Sea of Marmara, Eos Trans. AGU, 89 (53), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract U51A-0021, 2008.

Tryon, M.D., N. agatay, P. Henry, T. Zitter, L. Gli, J-L. Charlou, and Shipboard Scientific Party, Pore fluid chemistry of cold seeps in the Sea of Marmara, Sea of Marmara Workshop, Istanbul Technical University, June 2008.

agatay, M.N., L. Belucci, U. Sancar, A. Polonia, L. Erei, K. Eris, E. Damci, L. Gasperini, N. Grr, P. Henry, T.A.C. Zitter, L. Gli, M. Tryon, Sedimentary earthquake records in the Sea of Marmara, Sea of Marmara Workshop, Istanbul Technical University, June 2008.

Henry, P., Gli, L., T Zitter, S. Dupr, M. Tryon, M.N. agatay, B. Mercier de Lpinay, X. Le Pichon, AMC Sengor, N. Grr, B. Natalyn, G. Uarkus, S. zeren, D. Volker, S. Bourlange, P. Burnard, D. Vlker, and the Marnaut Scientific Party, Gas  emissions and active tectonics within the submerged section of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Sea of Marmara, Geological Society conference Subsurface sediment remobilization and fluid flow in sedimentary basins, London, UK, Oct. 2008.

Henry, P., T.A.C Zitter, X. LePichon, L. Gli, M.D. Tryon, B. Mercier de Lepinay, M.N. agatay, A.M.C. Sengor, N. Grr, S. Bourlange, and the Marnaut Scientific Party, Cold seeps in the North Anatolian Fault zone, Sea of Marmara: hints for a deep connection, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 10, EGU2008-A-05747, 2008.

agatay, M.N., L. Belucci, A. Polonia, U. Sancar, D. Dike, K. Eris, E. Damci, L. Gasperini, N. Grr, P. Henry, T.A.C. Zitter, L. Gli, M. Tryon, Sedimentary earhquake records in the Sea of Marmara, Geophysical Research Abstracts, Vol. 10, EGU2008-A-05412, 2008.

Gli L., Henry, P., S. Dupr, D. Volker, T. Zitter X. LePichon, M.D. Tryon, N. agatay, and Shipboard Scientific Party, Acoustic detection of gas emissions within the submerged section of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in the Sea of Marmara, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 88 (52), B43E-1659, 2007.

Henry, P., T. Zitter, X. LePichon, C.A. Sengor, N. Grr, B. Mercier de Lepinay, L. Gasperini, L. Gli, M. Tryon, and the Marnaut Scientific Party, Manned submersible observations at cold seeps in the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Sea of Marmara, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 88 (52), B54C-01, 2007.

Tryon, M.D., N. agatay, P. Henry, T. Zitter, L. Gli, J-L. Charlou, and Shipboard Scientific Party, Pore fluid chemistry of cold seeps in the Sea of Marmara, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 88 (52), B54C-02, 2007.

Hilton, D.R., G. DeLeew, E. Fri, N. Gulec, H. Mutlu, M.D. Tryon, and K.M. Brown, Helium isotope studies in seismically-active regions of Turkey and California, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, vol. 71, no. 15S, pp.A406, Aug 2007 (Goldschmidt Conference, Cologne, Germany).

Fri, E., D.R. Hilton, M.D. Tryon, and K.M. Brown, Temporal Control on the Release of Mantle and Crustal Volatiles from Cold Seep Fluids at Monterey Bay, California, USA, in International Conference on Evolution, Transfer and Release of Magmas and Volcanic Gases, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, 2007.

Tryon, M.D., D.R. Hilton, K.M. Brown, G. Wheat, G. McMurtry, W. Brueckmann, H. Niemann, A.L. LaBonte, E. Fueri, U. Schacht, and R. Hansman, Observations at forearc carbonate mounds offshore Costa Rica, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 87 (52), V41B-1714, 2006.

Fryer, G.J., and M.D. Tryon, The April Fools tsunami of 1946: Lessons from Sumatra, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 87 (52), U52A-02, 2006.

Tryon, M.D., D.R. Hilton, K.M. Brown, G. Wheat, G. McMurtry, W. Brckmann, A. LaBonte, E. Fri, and A. Thurber, Quantifying elemental fluxes and fluid origins at the Costa Rica forearc using novel submaring instrumentation. Deep Submergence Science Committee and Western Society of Naturalists Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Nov. 2006.

Hilton, D.R., E. Fri, M.D. Tryon, A.L. LaBonte, and K.M. Brown, Towards developing the capability for near-continuous sampling and storage of helium in geothermal fluids from regions of crustal unrest, in 4th Mini Conference on Noble Gases in the Hydrosphere and in Natural Gas Reservoirs, pp. 54-56, Potsdam, Germany, 2006.

Brown, K.M., DeShon, H.R., Tryon, M.D., Dorman, L.M., Schwartz, S.Y., Episodic creep, tremor, and fluid expulsion at the updip edge of the seismogenic zone, Costa Rica, Geophysical Research Abstracts, 8 (07867), 2006 (EGU meeting).

Fryer, G.J., and M.D. Tryon, Great earthquakes, gigantic landslids, and the continuing enigma of the April Fool's tsunami of 1946, Eos Trans. AGU, 86 (52), T11A-0355, 2005.

Tryon, M.D., and K.M. Brown, Observations of hydrotectonic stress/strain events at a basement high at the Nicoya outer rise, Eos Trans. AGU, 86 (52), T33A-0516, 2005.

Fri, E., D.R. Hilton, K.M. Brown, and M.D. Tryon, Helium and Carbon Isotope Systematics of Cold Seep Fluids at Monterey Bay (California, USA), Eos Trans. AGU, 86 (52), V13C-0563, 2005.

Adamic, J.F.,  Kluesner, J.W., Rathburn, A.E., Perez, M.E., Basak, C., Levin, L., Gieskes, J.M., Martin, J., Ziebis, W., Tryon, M., Comparisons of vertical distribution patterns of living (stained) benthic foraminifera from the Aleutian margin, Geological Society of America Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Oct. 2005.

Hilton, D.R., de Leew, G.A.M., Gle, N., Mutlu, H., Fri, E., Kulongoski, J., Brown, K., Tryon, M., Recent helium isotope studies in seismically-active regions: results from the San Andreas Fault Zone, California and the North Anatolian Fault Zone, Turkey, International Congress on Gas Geochemistry, Sicily, Oct. 2005.

Levin, L., Rathburn, A., Tryon, M.D., Lonsdale, P., Escobar, E., Gutierrez, D, Gallardo, V., Sellanes, J., Quiroga, E., Stress and strain on eastern Pacific Margin: the biology of newly explored oxygen minimum zone and methane seep ecosystems, submitted. June, 2005 TOS meeting in Paris - Open Ocean Exploration Session.

Rathburn, A.E., Levin. L.A., Gieskes, J.M., Ziebis, W., Martin, J.B., Tryon, M.D., Fryer, G.J., McMurtry, G.M., Perez, M.E., Fodrie, J., Bahls. A., Abriani, M., Wrightsman, B., Adamic, J., McMillan, P.A.,  Neira, C.E., Mendoza, G.F., Leddick, J.E., Do, J., 2004. Of Tsunamis and Seafloor Dynamics: Initial Results of Research Off the Aleutian Islands, Alaska.  Joint Meeting of the 15th Annual Argonne Symposium and CSUI, November 2004, Chicago, IL, I-5.

Dorman, L.M., DeShon, H.R., Tryon, M.D., Brown, K.M., Schwartz, S., and Tryon, M.D., 2004, Seismic Noise Correlation with Seismicity and Fluid Flow: Eos Trans. AGU, v. 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S51B-0150

Brown, K.M., Tryon, M.D., DeShon, H.R., Dorman, L.M., and Schwartz, S., 2004, Transient Fluid Pulsing and Seismic Tremor-like Seismic Noise: Episodic Creep and/or Fluid Expulsion at  the Updip Edge of the Seismogenic Zone, Costa Rica: Eos Trans. AGU, v. 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S41D-08

Tryon, M.D., LaBonte, A.L., Fueri, E., Hilton, D.R., and Brown, K.M., 2004, Toward long-term geochemical sampling of gases and deep fluids in subduction zone fore-arcs: New instrument developments: Eos Trans. AGU, v. 85(47), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract V13A-1440

Tryon, M.D., Brown, K.M., Long-term fluid flow measurements from widely varied oceanic settings elucidate near-surface hydrologic environments, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 84 (46), 846, 2003.

Brown, K.M., DeShon, H., Tryon, M.D., Dorman, L., and Schwartz, S., Transient fluid pulsing and noise in the Costa Rican subduction zone: Nearly silent slip events?, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 84 (46), 1420, 2003.

Brown, K.M., M.D. Tryon, H. DeShon, L. Dorman, and S. Schwartz, Transient fluid flow processes in margin settings: Earthquakes and pulsing in the Costa Rican subduction zone, in Ocean Margin Research Conference, Paris, 2003.

Tryon, M.D., Brown, K.M., Aqueous flux measurements at the Bush Hill hydrate mound, Gulf of Mexico, Oceans 2003 Conference, San Diego, CA., 2003.

Iwase, R., Machiyama, H., Soh, W., Brown, K.M., Tryon, M.D., Detailed mapping of subbottom temperature gradient and flow rate observation at the seepage site on deep seafloor off Hatsushima Island in Sagami Bay, central Japan, IUGG Conference, 2003.

Torres, M.E., J. McManus, M. deAngeles, M.D. Tryon, A. Trehu, K.M. Brown, and D. Hammond, Benthis fluxes from sediments hosting methane hydrate deposits at Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia, in Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, 34 (5), pp.42, Apr 2002.

Tryon, M.D., C. Mahn, J. Gieskes, and K.M. Brown, Methods of fluid and geochemical flux measurements and new insights from seep studies at the Eel River Margin, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 82 (48), 1302, 2001.

Tryon, M.D., and K.M. Brown, Results from long-term aqueous flux measurements on the Costa Rican convergent margin, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 81 (48), 1161, 2000.

Tryon, M.D., Brown, K. M., The Chemical and Aqueous Transport meter; A benthic flux meter for long term monitoring of low to moderate flow rates: RIDGE in situ Workshop, Aptos, CA, 2000.

Brown, K.M., and M.D. Tryon, Could temporal changes in fluid expulsion patterns from cold seep regions located on faults be used to monitor transient stress changes in the seismogenically coupled region of the subduction thrust?, Special Paper – Oregon, Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, 33, 33-34, 2000.

Tryon, M.D., and K.M. Brown, Transient fluid flow patterns on Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia: A response to methane gas discharge?, Eos, (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 80 (46), 528, 1999.

Tryon, M.D., and K.M. Brown, Aqueous flux measurements on Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia, in Pacific Section Convention, Program with Abstracts, pp. 45, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Monterey, California, 1999.

Brown, K.M., C. Goldfinger, G. Bohrmann, M. Torres, M. Tryon, C. Jung, E. Suess, H. Sahling, and A.M. Trehu, Geological and Hydrogeologic Interrelationships Around Seep and Gas Vent Regions on Hydrate Ridge: Seabed Observations, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 80 (46), 1999.

Linke, P., O. Pfannkuche, M.E. Torres, R.W. Collier, U. Witte, J. McManus, D.E. Hammond, K.M. Brown, M.D. Tryon, and K. Nakamura, Variability of benthic flux and discharge rates at vent sites determined by in situ instruments, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 80 (46), 509, 1999.

Torres, M.E., K. Brown, S. Colbert, R.W. Collier, M. deAngelis, D. Hammond, K. Heeschen, D. Hubbard, J. McManus, C.L. Moyer, G. Rehder, A. Trehu, M.D. Tryon, and P.J. Whaling, Active gas discharge resulting from decomposition of gas hydrates on Hydrate Ridge, Cascadia Margin, Eos (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 79 (45), 461, 1998.

Tryon, M.D., K.M. Brown, and D. Elliott, Instrument development and results from sea floor flux meter deployments off California and Oregon, Eos (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 78 (46), 690, 1997.

Tryon, M.D., K.M. Brown, L.M. Dorman, and A.W. Sauter, Instrument Development and Results From Sea Floor Flux Meter Deployments Off N. California and the EPR, Eos (Transactions, American Geophysical Union), 77 (46), 236, 1996.

Brown, K.M., T.G. Fitts, M.D. Tryon, and B. Ransom, An experimental study of the physical and chemical property changes occurring during the smectite to illite reaction, AAPG  Meeting Abstracts, 5, 19, 1996.

Fitts, T.G, K.M. Brown, M.D. Tryon, and B. Ransom, Measurement of porosity and smectite hydration state under deviatoric stress conditions; implications for water partitioning between pores and minerals in sedimentary basins, AAPG  Meeting Abstracts, 5, 46, 1996.

Fitts, T.G, K.M. Brown, M.D. Tryon, Gradual vs instantanious dewatering of smectites; experimental data and implications for physical properties of smectite-rich sediments in nature, AAPG  Meeting Abstracts, 5, 89, 1996.

Fitts, T.G, K.M. Brown, M.D. Tryon, Smectite diagenesis; preliminary experimental results and implications for the development of overpressuring during the burial of smectite-rich sediments, Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union, 76 (46), 189, 1995.

 

 

 

 

CURRENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

 

My current and recent research activities have been primarily divided between five field projects (Marnaut, West Nile Delta, Muddy Waters, MEMO (Nankai), Chile earthquake response) and two instrument development projects (GEOCE, PUPPI-II).

 

The Marnaut Project is an international collaboration utilizing a wide array of geophysical and hydrological techniques to study the manifestations of fluid expulsion associated with the Main Marmara Fault, the submerged western extension of the North Anatolian Fault Zone in Turkey, with the theme of understanding the relationship between seismic activity and fluid migration/expulsion processes along this active plate boundary. Our results confirm a direct relationship between seafloor faults and water and gas emissions with active expulsion tied to earthquake activity and seismic gaps associated with a lack of expulsion (Gli et al., 2008). The main strike-slip fault intersects fluid sources many kilometers below the seafloor and provides a pathway for oil and thermogenic gas as well as formation fluids with high salinities and exotic chemistry. Extensional tears in the NW Tekirdag Basin expel plumes of CO2 rich in mantle 3He. Basin boundary extensional faults intersect near-surface sources of methane and buried Pleistocene Lake Marmara water (Tryon et al., 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010).

 

Mud volcanism is a common phenomenon in different continental margin settings, especially in deltaic depositional systems worldwide. Fluid formation and fluidization processes occurring at depths of several kilometers below the seafloor can be monitored in mud volcanoes acting as natural leakages for oil and gas reservoirs. To gain a better understanding of deep processes occurring in the West Nile Delta area, I am carrying out a study on two mud volcanoes in collaboration with researchers at IFM-GEOMAR as part of The West Nile Delta Project. This project focuses on qualifying the chemical and isotopic composition of pore fluids as well as investigations of light volatile hydrocarbon gases and organic biomarkers and the quantification of the variability of dewatering and degassing through long-term flow rate and chemical flux measurements. Deployments of flow meters, gas and fluid samplers, pore pressure sensors, and heat flow surveys were done in 2008-2010 and final synthesis of the data is underway.

 

The Muddy Waters project is also related to mud volcanism and fluid flow at plate boundary faults and aims to characterise the fluid geochemistry of the intermediate loop of the Subduction Factory at the Hellenic Subduction Zone. In March, 2011, we carried out a research cruise (R/V Poseidon) to deploy flow meters, take gravity cores and collect in situ pore pressure data at the mud volcanos and backstop faults. On recovery in 2012 we will use existing geotechnical as well as geochemical data plus those collected during the cruise and from the flow meters to numerically model fluid flow at the boundary between the accretionary complex and its hinterland (i.e. the intermediate loop of the subduction factory between Eurasia and Africa), to test hypotheses regarding physico-chemical processes along the active faults to be penetrated and how they can be related to the geochemical findings.

 

Two other field projects that are just beginning are MEMO (Nankai) and the Chile Earthquake Response. To augment the NanTroSEIZE IODP drilling program, we will be carrying out a research cruise aboard the R/V Sonne (Project MEMO). In the Kumano Basin, arcward of the NanTroSEIZE drilling transect, an active mud volcano field provides evidence for rapid fluid and mud ascent from several km depth and provides such a window to processes unreached by IODP drilling. Given the enigmatic lack of evidence of deep sourced fluids in the toe-ward portion of the Nankai OOST region drilled during NanTroSEIZE stage 1, searching for such evidence arcward is of prime importance in understanding this system. Are all of the fluids generated deep along the subduction thrust passing to the toe region, bypassing the OOST region? This unlikely outcome can be resolved with evidence of low chlorinity fluids with distinctive elemental and isotopic signatures at more arcward locations. During the project we will collect piston and MeBo cores and install long-term monitoring instruments to test hypotheses regarding physico-chemical processes occurring within the Kumano Basin mud volcano field and its roots at great depth.

 

The Chile Earthquake Response was an NSF Rapid project consisting of a multibeam bathymetric survey of the rupture zone and deployment of high-resolution pressure sensors to monitor the vertical motion of the subduction zone wedge in response to aftershocks and viscoelastic relaxation after the February 2010 magnitude 8.8 earthquake offshore Maule, Chile. These instruments were recovered in March, 2011, and numerous events of seafloor vertical motion and permanent deformation were recorded associated with aftershocks. In 2012 we will begin the next stage, to deploy a focused array of 10 broadband ocean bottom seismometers outfitted with SIO seafloor flow meters updip of the region of maximum to monitor the post-seismic response of the outer accretionary prism. Onshore and offshore seismological data suggest that slip during the main event and in the immediate aftershock period stopped ~30 km downdip of the trench.  The lack of a detectable bathymetric change in the outer accretionary complex several months after the earthquake also suggests that the upper part of the megathrust did not slip during the event.  This conclusion is consistent with models of the temperature on the megathrust and the transition from velocity weakening to velocity strengthening friction. Based on these observations, we expect that the outer accretionary wedge behaves as a poroelastic medium and adjusts gradually, through multiple faults, folds and volumetric strain, to the change in stress resulting from up to 20 m of slip on the megathrust during the earthquake. The close spacing (~10 km) of our planned array on the lower slope in water depths of 2000-5300 m immediately seaward of the patch of greatest slip during the earthquake should allow us to study a wide range of seismic and hydrological responses that should be occurring as the accretionary complex adjusts to the change in stress caused by the earthquake.  In particular, we will look for seismic tremor and for low frequency earthquakes as well as for normal earthquakes in the prism and underlying subducting crust and for slow fluid flow out of the seafloor that can be modeled to derive volumetric strain in the underlying sediments.

 

I also have two instrument development projects ongoing. The first of these is the development of an ocean bottom 3-D strain meter, GEOCE, in collaboration with K. Brown, D. Chadwell, and U. Send, all at Scripps. My portion of this project uses high resolution pressure measurements and a seafloor pressure standard to determine the vertical motion of the seafloor in response to tectonic deformation and/or gravitational sliding. The data we gathered from the shallow engineering deployment off Torrey Pines indicates we are near to achieving the goal of 1 cm resolution in 3 dimensions. A final deep test deployment is ongoing. My second instrumentation project is the development of a new generation of seafloor piezometers, PUPPI-II, for both long-term monitoring of the hydrological response to tectonic strain and for geotechnical investigations. Design, modeling, electronics, and construction is completed and the instrument is currently undergoing on-land testing. It will be deployed in October 2011. These two instrumentation development programs will allow us to monitor the most critical properties (stress and strain) of continental margins to improve our understanding of the underlying tectonics and for evaluation of their potential for catastrophic failure.