RIACS

Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science
An institute of the Universities Space Research Association

Ms. Sarah Christian

[email protected]   

Ms. Christian is a certified professional hydrologist, working under cooperative agreement with the USGS. She has a background in physics, geology, hydrology and hydraulics, with applications to modeling and hazard assessment in various fields from dam safety and hydraulic engineering to slope stability. She received a BA in Physics from Wesleyan University, an MS in Geology from the University of Pennsylvania, and an MS in Applied Earth Sciences from Stanford University. She is currently working on multiple enhancements for a second release of the USGS Scoops3D program, originally published in 2015. Scoops3D is a regional slope stability model that incorporates 3-D soil and/or rock strengths, three-dimensional pore pressures and soil suction which can be derived from groundwater models, spatially variable pseudo-static earthquake acceleration, and surface-water loading. The model provides a tool for facilitating regional assessment of landslide hazard in areas susceptible to rotational slides by providing maps of relative stability, as well as estimates of landslide areas and volumes, providing input for sediment budgets, routing of debris flows originating from the rotational slides, and other runout models.