The Impact of Mapper Experience and Data on the Quality of Geomorphic Fault Mapping

Authors

  • Malinda G. Zuckerman School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9413-3888
  • Chelsea Scott School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA
  • Ramon Arrowsmith School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1756-3697
  • Rachel Adam Utah Geological Survey, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4875-8749
  • Chris Madugo Geosciences Department, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Oakland, California, USA
  • Rich D. Koehler Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0777-6939
  • Albert Kottke Geosciences Department, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Oakland, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1861-5682
  • Hans Abramson Ward Lettis Consultants International, Inc., Concord, California, USA
  • Eldon Gath Earth Consultants International, Inc., Santa Ana, California, USA
  • Tania González Earth Consultants International, Inc., Santa Ana, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0762-154X
  • Brian Gray Lettis Consultants International, Inc., Concord, California, USA
  • Ozgur Kozaci Geosciences Department, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Oakland, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9439-0190
  • Thomas K. Rockwell Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, San Diego State University, San Diego, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5319-6447
  • Trevor J. Austin School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5697-5259
  • Tamarah King Geoscience Australia, Symonston ACT, Australia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9654-2917
  • Rachel Micander Sunstone Environmental Solutions, Reno, Nevada, USA
  • Ethan Leuchter Lettis Consultants International, Inc., Concord, California, USA
  • Ian Pierce Geosciences Department, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Oakland, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1865-2512
  • Erin Alexander
  • Aube Gourdeau Département de physique, Collège de Maisonneuve, 3800 R. Sherbrooke E, Montréal, Québec H1X 2A2, Canada https://orcid.org/0009-0009-9046-2658
  • Maximilien Laly Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec H9X 3V9, Canada https://orcid.org/0009-0000-7407-7981
  • Izabelle Ogilvie Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri), Redlands, California, USA
  • Sophie D. Rothman Géosciences Environnement Toulouse, Toulouse, France https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8354-9634
  • Dominik R. Vlaha Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6687-5212
  • Elaine K. Young California Geological Survey, Sacramento, California, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9561-0626
  • Veronica Prush epartment of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, USA https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5981-4576
  • Christie Rowe evada Seismological Laboratory, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada, USA
  • Benedict Johnson Institut für Geowissenschaften, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  • Madeline Schwarz School of Earth and Space Exploration, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v5i2.1973

Keywords:

tectonic geomorphology, active tectonics, fault mapping

Abstract

Mapping of potentially active faults is critical to characterizing earthquake processes and surface rupture hazard. Geologists map tectonic faults from remote sensing datasets by interpreting tectonic landforms formed during past earthquakes. However, evidence for faulting is often ambiguous, incomplete, and challenging to interpret. Conventional wisdom suggests that mapping skill improves with experience. In contrast, prior work has shown that experienced geologists can still miss faults and disagree on fault location. To test whether, when, and to what extent mapping improves with experience, we designed a repeat mapping experiment involving 23 participants, ranging from undergraduate students to senior professionals. Each participant created regional-scale fault maps using pre-earthquake remote sensing data and a systematic, geomorphology-based approach. While professionals slightly outperformed students, some graduate students produced similar quality maps, and all participants missed identifying tectonic landforms indicative of future ruptures. Using participant mapped fault data, we quantify inter-mapper epistemic uncertainty in fault location to be between 55 and 117 m. Our work gives insight into approaches to improve fault mapping and suggests that experience beyond a graduate student level does not significantly improve mapping results.

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2026-07-14

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Zuckerman, M., Scott, C., Arrowsmith, R., Adam, R., Madugo, C., Koehler, R., Kottke, A., Abramson Ward, H., Gath, E., González, T., Gray, B., Kozaci, O., Rockwell, T., Austin, T., King, T., Micander, R., Leuchter, E., Pierce, I., Alexander, E., Gourdeau, A., Laly, M., Ogilvie, I., Rothman, S., Vlaha, D., Young, E., Prush, V., Rowe, C., Johnson, B., & Schwarz, M. (2026). The Impact of Mapper Experience and Data on the Quality of Geomorphic Fault Mapping . Seismica, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.26443/seismica.v5i2.1973

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Copyright (c) 2026 Malinda G. Zuckerman, Chelsea Scott, Ramon Arrowsmith, Rachel Adam, Chris Madugo, Rich D. Koehler, Albert Kottke, Hans Abramson Ward, Eldon Gath, Tania González, Brian Gray, Ozgur Kozaci, Thomas K. Rockwell, Trevor J. Austin, Tamarah King, Rachel Micander, Ethan Leuchter, Ian Pierce, Erin Alexander, Aube Gourdeau, Maximilien Laly, Izabelle Ogilvie, Sophie D. Rothman, Dominik R. Vlaha, Elaine K. Young, Veronica Prush, Christie Rowe, Benedict Johnson, Madeline Schwarz

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