Dr. John Cassidy This is Me

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1. 1. University of Victoria - Career Services

   careerforums.uvic.ca/speakers_ - [Cached]

   Published on: 7/14/2008   Last Visited: 7/14/2008

   Dr. John Cassidy Research Scientist
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   Dr. John Cassidy
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   John Cassidy is an earthquake seismologist with the Geological Survey of Canada, based at Sidney, B.C.He specializes in earthquake hazard studies in western Canada. Current research include mapping the variation in earthquake hazard in urban areas, the earthquake-generating stress field across the region, and the giant megathrust earthquakes that will occur off the BC coast.John works closely with earthquake engineers and emergency response organizations who apply the results of this research, and he is very active in public outreach activities with more than 500 media interviews, and 200 invited public presentations on earthquake hazard.He is also a Limited Term Associate Professor at the University of Victoria, and supervises graduate students.

2. 2. Geological Survey of Canada - Directory of Geoscience Expertise

   gsc.nrcan.gc.ca/dir/index_e.ph - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/29/2005   Last Visited: 7/10/2007

   Dr. John F. Cassidy
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   Name: Dr. John F. Cassidy
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   Dr. Cassidy specializes in earthquake hazard studies in Canada and has published more than 100 scientific and public interest articles during the past 20 years.The goal of his research is to better assess ground shaking during future earthquakes, and to incorporate this information into the National Building Code of Canada in order to minimize the impact of future earthquakes.Current research activities include mapping earthquake ground shaking in urban centres, studying the recently discovered "Episodic tremor and slip" and the implications for giant subduction earthquakes on Canada's west coast, learning from recent large earthquakes around the globe (including the M=9 Sumatra earthquake), mapping sedimentary basins across Canada using seismic imaging techniques to better assess resource potential, mapping the earthquake-generating crustal stress field in western Canada, and applying modern analysis methods to examine potentially active faults near urban centres or critical infrastructure.John is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Victoria, where he supervises graduate students and teaches earth science courses.John works closely with earthquake engineers and emergency response organizations who apply the results of this earthquake research, and he is extremely active in public outreach activities with more than 700 media interviews, and 200 invited public presentations on earthquake hazards in Canada.
   
   Publications:
   
   List of publications for Dr. John F. Cassidy (from GEOSCAN)

3. 3. Welcome to the Richmond News Online - Top Stories

   www.richmond-news.com/01301/to - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/25/2002   Last Visited: 11/25/2002

   John Cassidy, a research scientist with the Geological Survey of Canada, said he tried to reiterate this point to residents when he spoke at a emergency preparedness symposium in Richmond last year.
   
   "Richmond has been there for many thousands of years and it is growing as sediment builds up along the Fraser River," Cassidy said."It has been through three, four or five earthquakes every hundred years at magnitudes of six or seven levels."
   
   Even though Richmond has some of the youngest soil on Earth, Cassidy said the sedimentary rock it is built on is comparable to that of Vancouver for handling earthquakes.Compared to Vancouver Island, which has been around for hundreds of millions of years, Richmond was built by sediment from the Fraser River about 10,000 years ago, after the last ice age.
   
   In the event of a large earthquake, Cassidy said there may be some liquification - a process in which unconsolidated, sandy, sedimentary soil close to sea level loses strength, causing sinking or sliding as the water and sand mix - in parts of Richmond, but structures which have been built in the past 20 years will most likely have had adjustments to counter liquification.
   
   The worst kind of earthquake which could hit Richmond would occur when the Juan de Fuca plate snaps out of its current locked position under the North American continental plate.This is the type of earthquake which rocked El Salvador last Saturday morning, killing at least 400 people and injuring 2,000, with 1,200 still missing.
   
   The quake rated 7.6 on the Richter scale, but could go as high as nine.The Juan de Fuca plate has been locked for 300 years and is predicted to snap out of position anytime within the next 400 years.
   
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   Cassidy said if "the big one" hit Richmond, strong shaking would occur for several minutes, effectively levelling bigger buildings, but the island would remain above water.
   
   He said this type of quake is the most damaging, but is also the rarest type to occur.Other earthquakes, within oceanic or continental plates, are more likely.
   
   Earthquakes within an ocean plate range from 6.5 to 7.5 magnitude levels and cause strong shaking for 10 or 15 seconds.This type of quake would damage older buildings and cause some liquification, as seen in the 1995 earthquake in Kobe, Japan.Free-face banks along the Fraser River could also slip away.
   
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   Cassidy said Richmond homeowners should make sure homes are secured to foundations as a precautionary measure.
   
   The City of Richmond is currently updating the emergency social service plan to help with the evacuation of homes and the provision of necessities, such as food, clothing and shelter in the event of an earthquake.