Prof. STEFAN NIELSEN

  • Via Lucciano 6
  • 00178 ROMA, Italy
  • Born 6/03/1965 in Milano, Italy
  • Italian and Swedish citizen

Research interests

  • Theoretical seismology: seismic source models, dynamic rupture propagation, numerical modeling of wavefield propagation.
  • Fault mechanics: field study of exhumed faults, rheological and frictional properties of seismic faults.
  • Laboratory experiments: high velocity rock friction experiments, rock and rock-analogue laboratory experiments on rupture, ultra-high speed photography

Professional experience and training:

  • 2002-now: Senior investigator, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologa (INGV), Sismologia e Tettonofisica. Collaborations with A. Zollo (Uni. Napoli), R. Madariaga (ENS, Parigi), G. DiToro e G. Pennacchioni (Uni. Padova), T. Shimamoto e T. Hirose (Uni. Kyoto).
  • 2000-02: Researcher, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologa (INGV), Sismologia e Tettonofisica, on leave for a collaboration at Università di Napoli.
  • 1998-99: Research associate at the Universtiy of California, Santa Barbara, under the supervision of Prof.s Jim Langer, Jean Carlson (Physics) and Ralph Archuleta (Geology, Institute for Crustal Studies). Sponsored by the Interdisciplinary Research Grant, project on earthquake source machanics and friction laws.
  • 1996-97: Research associate at Dipartimento di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Universita Federico II, Napoli, Italy. Collaboration with Prof.s Aldo Zollo and Paolo Gasparini. Aspects of Seismic Source parametrization and Seismic Tomography of Mount Vesuvius. Lectures in Seismology to students of the Physics Department. (Sponsoring: Post-doctoral fellowship of the European Community).
  • 1994-95: Research associate at Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles. Collaboration with Prof. Leon Knopoff. Role of complex fault geometry on seismicity. (Sponsoring: post-doctoral position awarded by the Southern California Earthquake Center).
  • 1990-93: DOCTORAL THESIS at Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, specialty Internal Geophysics, under the direction of Albert Tarantola, on the topic:“Models of seismic rupture”, obtained at the university PARIS VII in may 1993, with highest grade (mention très honorable avec félicitations du jury).

References

  • [1] S. Nielsen, G. Di Toro, T. Hirose, and T. Shimamoto. Frictional melt and seismic slip. J. Geophys. Res., 113:B01308, 2008.
  • [2] S. Nielsen. Can earthquake size be controlled by the initial seconds of rupture?, chapter 2, pages 9–19. Springer, 2007.
  • [3] A. Zollo, M. Lancieri, and S. Nielsen. Reply to comment by p. rydelek et al. on “earthquake magnitude estimation from peak amplitudes of very early seismic signals on strong motion records”. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34:L20303, 2007.
  • [4] V. Nisii, G. Saccorotti, and S. Nielsen. Detailed analysis of wave propagation beneath the campi flegrei caldera, italy. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am, 97:440–456, 2007.
  • [5] A. Zollo, M. Lancieri, and S. Nielsen. Earthquake magnitude estimation from peak amplitudes of very early seismic signals on strong motion records. Geophys. Res. Lett., 33:L23312, 2006.
  • [6] G. Di Toro, T. Hirose, S. Nielsen, and T. Shimamoto. Relating high-velocity rock-friction experiments to coseismic slip in the presence of melts. In R. Abercrombie, A. McGarr, H. Kanamori, and G. Di Toro, editors, Radiated Energy and the Physics of Earthquake Faulting, pages 121–134. AGU, 2006. Science, 311:647–649, 2006.
  • [7] G. Di Toro, T. Hirose, S. Nielsen, G. Pennacchioni, and T. Shimamoto. Natural and experimental evidence of melt lubrication of faults during earthquakes.
  • [8] G. Di Toro, S. Nielsen, and G. Pennacchioni. Earthquake rupture dynamics frozen in exhumed ancient faults. Nature, 436:1009–1012, 2005.
  • [9] S. Nielsen and R. Madariaga. On the self-healing fracture mode. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 93(6):2375–2388, 2003.
  • [10] G. Festa and S. Nielsen. Pml absorbing boundaries. Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 93:891–903, 2003.
  • [11] D. Oglesby, R. Archuleta, and S. Nielsen. The three-dimensional dynamics of dipping faults. Bull Seismol. Soc. Am., 90:616–628, 2000.
  • [12] D. Oglesby, R. Archuleta, and S. Nielsen. Dynamics of dip-slip faulting; explorations in two dimensions. J. Geophys. Res., 105:13,643–13,653, 2000.