Nicolas Harrichhausen

Nicolas Harrichausen
Assistant Professor
Department of Geological Sciences
CPISB 301H
(907) 786-4697
njharrichhausen@alaska.edu

Education

  • 2021: Ph.D., Earth Science 鈥� University of California Santa Barbara, USA
  • 2016: M.S., Earth Science 鈥� McGill University, Canada
  • 2011: B.S., Earth Science 鈥� University of Victoria, Canada

Biography

My research focuses on determining the locations, geometry, and kinematics of crustal faults to study the driving forces of crustal deformation and the hazards that these faults present to society. I use a variety of field-based and remote sensing methods to conduct studies of active crustal faults to assess their earthquake histories and constrain regional tectonics. Along low strain-rate or slowly slipping faults, evidence of deformation can be difficult to see, especially in areas with dense vegetation and high erosion rates. Thus, I use and am developing innovative methods to detect subtle signals of deformation. Additionally, I use numerical modelling to assess the driving forces of fault slip and to calculate the hazard these faults pose to nearby populations. I am particularly interested in how we can better use geologic information to better inform fault hazard calculations. My work is focused on Vancouver Island, Canada, which is located in the northern forearc of the Cascadia subduction zone; the high Andes of Ecuador; in northern Turkey along the North Anatolian fault; and now in Alaska.

My research also extends to understanding the tectonic history and metallogeny of the Western Cordillera of North America. I've conducted structural analyses in northern British Columbia, Canada, assessing conditions for gold mineralization at the Brucejack mine and used transmission electron microscopy to show that gold at the deposit was precipitated as nanoparticles. This discovery suggests that gold was transported as a colloidal suspension instead of in solution, allowing for transport of higher gold concentrations in hydrothermal fluids. I have also examined kinematic indicators along the San Juan fault on southern Vancouver Island to show that left-lateral slip along this structure accommodated the Eocene accretion of an oceanic plateau.

 

Teaching Responsibilities

  • GEOL A111 Planet Earth
  • GEOL A315 Geologic Data Analysis and Visualization
  • GEOL A335 Structural Geology
  • GEOL A490 Advanced Topics in Geology
  • GEOL A480 Geological Field Methods

Publications

  • Lynch, E.M. Regalla, C., Morell, K.D., Harrichhausen, N., Leonard, L.J. (2025). Evidence for an active transtensional Beaufort Range fault in the northern Cascadia forearc. Seismica, 2(4)
  • Finley, T., Harrichhausen, N., Morell, K. D., Regalla, C., Bennett, S.E.K., Leonard, L.J., Nissen, E., McLeod, E., Lynch, E. M., Salomon, G., Sethanant, I.  (2025). The XEOLXELEK鈥揈lk Lake fault (XELF): A Newly Discovered Earthquake Hazard for Greater Victoria. Canadian Association for Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (CAEES) Newsletter, 9 (1).
  • Morell, K.D., Gilroy, K., Finley, T., Harrichhausen, N. (2025). . AGU Advances, 6, e2024AV001468.
  • Marconato, L., Doin, M.-P., Audin, L., Nocquet, J.-M., Jarrin, P., Rolandone, F., Harrichhausen, N., Mothes, P., Mora-Paez, H., Cisneros, D. (2024).  Geophysical Journal International, gga338.
  • Harrichhausen, N., Morell K.D., Regalla, C. (2024). .  Seismica, 2(4).
  • Harrichhausen, N., Finley, T., Morell, K. D., Regalla, C., Bennett, S.E.K., Leonard, L.J., Nissen, E., McLeod, E., Lynch, E. M., Salomon, G., Sethanant, I. (2023 ).  . Tectonics, e2023TC008170.
  • Harrichhausen, N., Audin, L., Baize, S., Johnson, K. L., Beauval, C., Jarrin, P., Marconato, L., Rolandone, F., Jomard, H., Nocquet, J.-M., Alvarado, A., Mothes, P.A. (2023).  Seismological Research Letters.
  • Harrichhausen, N., Finley, T., Morell, K. D., Regalla, C., Bennett, S.E.K., Leonard, L.J., Nissen, E., McLeod, E., Lynch, E. M., Salomon, G., Sethanant, I. (2023). . Proceedings of the 11th International INQUA Meeting on Paleoseismology, Active Tectonics and Archeoseismology. 90鈥�9
  • Harrichhausen, N., Morell, K. D., Regalla, C., Lynch, E.M., Leonard,, L. J. (2022). . Tectonics, 41, e2022TC007317
  • Harrichhausen, N., Morell, K. D., Regalla, C., Bennett, S.E.K., Leonard, L.J., Lynch, E.M., Nissen, E. (2021).  Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 111(2), 1110鈥�1138. 
  • Rowe, C.D., Ross, C., Swanson, M.T., Pollock, S., Backeberg, N.R., Barshi, N.A., Bate, C.E., Carruthers, S., Coulson, S., Dascher鈥怌ousineau, K., Harrichhausen, N., et al. (2018).  Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 123(9),&苍产蝉辫;7998鈥�8015.
  • Regalla, C., Rowe, C. D., Harrichhausen, N., Tarling, M., Singh, J. (2018). . Geology and tectonics of subduction zones: A tribute to Gaku Kimura: Geological Society of America Special Paper, 534, 155鈥�173.
  • Harrichhausen, N., Rowe, C.D., Board, W.S., Greig, C.J. (2016). . Geoscience BC Summary of Activities 2015, Geoscience BC, Technical Report 2016-1.

 

Geology