Honn Kao, Ph.D.

Chercheur scientifique

Chercheur scientifique, sismologie

Chef de section, Section de sismologie, tectonophysique et volcanologie, Commission géologique du Canada - Pacifique

Chef de projet, Projet de recherche sur la sismicité induite, Programme de géosciences environnementales

Recherche et / ou projets en cours

Biographie

Monsieur Honn Kao (Ph. D.) a obtenu un baccalauréat en géophysique de la National Central University, à Taïwan, en 1985, ainsi qu’une maîtrise et un doctorat en géophysique de l’Université de l’Illinois à Urbana-Champaign en 1991 et en 1993, respectivement. Il a été recruté par l’Institute of Earth Sciences (IES) de l’Academia Sinica, à Taïwan, à titre de chercheur universitaire adjoint immédiatement après avoir terminé ses études de doctorat. Durant ses premières années à l’IES, il a été chargé d’établir le réseau BATS (Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology). Il a été promu au poste de chercheur universitaire associé en 1996, puis à celui de chercheur universitaire en 2000. Il a reçu deux fois la prime pour réalisation exceptionnelle en recherche du conseil national de recherche de Taïwan (en 1999 et 2001). En 2001, il a reçu la médaille de la jeunesse de la République populaire de Chine. En 2002, il a rejoint la Commission géologique du Canada comme chercheur scientifique pour étudier les caractéristiques des sources sismiques et les structures sismogéniques. En 2006, il a été nommé professeur adjoint par la School of Earth and Ocean Sciences de l’Université de Victoria. Il a été rédacteur en chef adjoint du Journal of Geophysical Research entre 2011 et 2017. Il a également été membre du comité de rédaction du International Journal of Geophysics entre 2012 et 2017. Actuellement, il est chef de la Section de sismologie, tectonophyscie et volcanologie (SSTV), Commission géologique du Canada - Pacifique, et chef du projet de recherche sur la sismicité induite de Ressources naturelles Canada.

Énoncés de recherches/projets

Le thème de la recherche de M. Honn Kao est la sismologie observationnelle. Ses activités de recherche actuelles sont centrées sur la sismicité induite liée aux activités anthropiques, plus particulièrement l’exploitation pétrolière et gazière non classique. Il est chef de projet en recherche sur la sismicité induite (RSI) à Ressources naturelles Canada. Mis à part la RSI, M. Kao a aussi travaillé sur divers sujets à des échelles tant locales que continentales, notamment la caractérisation des sources sismiques, la détermination des structures précises de la vitesse sismique, la tomographie sismique et la sismotectonique. Il conserve une base de données de solutions de tenseur de moment centroïde (CMT) pour les séismes importants (M4+) au Canada. Il est également l'inventeur de nombreuses méthodes sismologiques avancées, notamment le Source-Scanning Algorithm (SSA) et le Depth-Scanning Algorithm (DSA), qui ont été utilisés non seulement dans les études de sources sismiques, mais aussi dans les études de tremor et de glissement épisodiques ( ETS), les glissements de terrain et la cartographie du processus de rupture sismique.

Activités professionnelles / intérêts

Rédacteur adjoint, Journal of Geophysical Research, section Solid Earth (2011 – 2017).
Membre du comité de rédaction, International Journal of Geophysics (2012 – 2017).
Conseiller scientifique étranger, Bureau central de météorologie de Taïwan (2013 à présent).
Conseil consultatif international du Journal "Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences" (2015 à présent).

Prix et études

Doctorat en géophysique, Université de l’Illinois à Urbana-Champaign, 1993

Maîtrise en géophysique, Université de l’Illinois à Urbana-Champaign, 1991

Baccalauréat en géophysique, National Central University, Taïwan, 1985

2019 Prix de réalisation ministérielle de Ressources naturelles Canada pour son impact et sa contribution à l'excellence scientifique

2011 Prix de reconnaissance du secteur des sciences de la Terre de RNCan

2007 Prix du mérite local de la Division géologique du Canada Pacifique

2002 Prix de recherche exceptionnelle, National Research Council, ROC Taiwan

2001 Médaille de la jeunesse distinguée, ROC Taiwan

2000 Prix de recherche exceptionnelle, National Research Council, ROC Taiwan

Principales publications

Selected Publications on Induced Seismicity

Wang B., H. Kao, R.M.H. Dokht, R. Visser, and H. Yu (2022). Delineating the controlling factors of hydraulic fracturing-induced seismicity in the Northern Montney Play, northeastern British Columbia, Canada, with machine learning, Seismol. Res. Lett., doi:10.1785/0220220075.

Wang, B., H. Kao, H. Yu, R. Visser, and S. Venables (2022). Physical factors controlling the diverse seismogenic behavior of fluid injections in western Canada, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 589, 117555, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117555.

Eyre, T.S., S. Samsonov, W. Feng, H. Kao, and D.W. Eaton (2022). InSAR data reveal that the largest hydraulic fracturing-induced earthquake in Canada, to date, is a slow-slip event, Science Reports, 12, 2043, doi:10.1038/s41598-022-06129-3.

Gao, D., H. Kao, B. Wang, R. Visser, R. Schultz, and R.M. Harrington (2022). Complex 3D migration and delayed triggering of hydraulic fracturing-induced seismicity: A case study near Fox Creek, Alberta, Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2021GL093979, doi:10.1029/2021GL093979.

Yu, H., H. Kao, R. Visser, and B. Wang (2021). Form seismic quiescence to surged activity after decades of wastewater disposal: A case study in central-west Alberta, Canada, Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL095074, doi: 10.1029/2021GL095074.

Yu, H., R.M. Harrington, H. Kao, Y. Liu, and B. Wang (2021). Fluid-injection induced earthquakes characterized by hybrid-frequency waveforms manifest the transition from aseismic to seismic slip, Nature Communications, 12, 6862, doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-26961-x.

Ojo, A. O., H. Kao, R. Visser, and C. Goerzen (2021). Spatiotemporal changes in seismic velocity associated with hydraulic fracturing-induced earthquakes near Fox Creek, Alberta, Canada. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, 208, 109390, doi:10.1016/j.petrol.2021.109390.

Babaie Mahani, A., S. Venables, H. Kao, R. Visser, M. Gaucher, R.M.H. Dokht, and J. Johnson (2021). Intensity of induced earthquakes in northeast British Columbia, Canada, Seismol. Res. Lett., 92, 3482-3491, doi:10.1785/0220210037.

Dokht, R.M.H, H. Kao, A. Babaie Mahani, and R. Visser (2021). Spatiotemporal analysis of seismotectonic state of injection-induced seismicity clusters in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126, e2020JB021362, doi:10.1029/2020JB021362.

Babaie Mahani, A., S. Venables, H. Kao, R. Visser, M. Gaucher, R.M.H. Dokht, and J. Johnson (2021). Intensity of induced earthquakes in northeast British Columbia, Canada, Seismol. Res. Lett., doi:10.1785/0220210037.

Wang, B., A. Verdecchia, H. Kao, R.M. Harrington, Y. Liu, and H. Yu (2021). A study on the largest hydraulic fracturing induced earthquake in Canada: numerical modeling and triggering mechanism, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am.,doi:10.1785/0120200251.

Babaie Mahani, A., & Kao, H. (2020). Determination of Local Magnitude for Induced Earthquakes in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin: An Update. Can. Soc. Explo. Gephys. Recorder, 45(2), https://csegrecorder.com/articles/view/determination-of-local-magnitude-for-induced-earthquakes-in-the-wcsb.

Dokht, R. M. H., Smith, B., Kao, H., Visser, R., & Hutchinson, J. (2020). Reactivation of an Intraplate Fault by Mine-Blasting Events: Implications to Regional Seismic Hazard in Western Canada. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125(6), e2020JB019933. doi:10.1029/2020JB019933.

Babaie Mahani, A., F. Esfahani, H. Kao, M. Gaucher, M. Hayes, R. Visser, and S. Venables (2020). A systematic study of earthquake source mechanism and regional stress field in the southern Montney Unconventional Play of northeast British Columbia, Canada, Seismol. Res. Lett., 91(1), 195-206, doi: 10.1785/0220190230.

Wang, B., R.M. Harrington, Y. Liu, H. Kao, and H. Yu (2019). Remote dynamic triggering of earthquakes in three unconventional Canadian hydrocarbon regions based on a multi-station matched-filter approach, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 109, 372-386, doi:10.1785/0120180164.

Kao, H., R. Hyndman, Y. Jiang, R. Visser, B. Smith, A. Babaie Mahani, L. Leonard, H. Ghofrani, and J. He (2018). Induced seismicity in western Canada linked to tectonic strain rate: Implications for regional seismic hazard, Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, 11104-11115, doi:10.1029/2018GL079288. (* featured by the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology, IRIS, as one of 2018-2019’s “Science Highlights”)

Barbaie Mahani, A., and H. Kao (2018). Accurate determination of local magnitude for earthquakes in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin, Seismol. Res. Lett., 90, 203-211, doi:10.1785/0220180264.

Kao., H., R. Visser, B. Smith, and S. Venables (2018). Performance assessment of the induced seismicity traffic light protocol (IS-TLP) for northeastern British Columbia and western Alberta, The Leading Edge, 37(2), 117-126, doi: 10.1190/tle37020117.1.

Schultz, R., G. Atkinson, D. Eaton, Y.J. Gu, and H. Kao (2018). Hydraulic fracturing completion volume is associated with induced earthquakes in the Duvernay Play, Science, 359, 304-308, doi: 10.1126/science.aao0159.

Babaie Mahani, A., and H. Kao (2017). Ground motion from M1.5–3.8 induced earthquakes at hypocentral distance <45 km in the Montney Play of northeast British Columbia, Canada, Seismol. Res. Lett., 89, 22-34, doi:10.1785/0220170119.

Babaie Mahani, A., R. Schultz, H. Kao, D. Walker, J. Johnson, and C. Salas (2017). Fluid injection and seismic activity in the northern Montney Play, British Columbia, Canada, with special reference to the 17 August 2015 Mw 4.6 induced earthquake, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 107, 542-552, doi:10.1785/0120160175.

Kao, H., D.W. Eaton, G.M. Atkinson, S. Maxwell, and A. Babaie Mahani (2016). Technical meeting on the traffic light protocol (TLP) for induced seismicity: Summary and recommendations, Geol. Surv. Canada, Open File 8075, 20 pp., doi:10.4095/299002.

Mahani, A. B., H. Kao, D. Walker, J. Johnson, and C. Salas (2016). Performance evaluation of the regional seismograph network in northeast British Columbia, Canada, for monitoring of induced seismicity, Seismol. Res. Lett., 87, 648-660, doi: 10.1785/0220150241.

Farahbod, A.M., H. Kao, J.F. Cassidy, and D. Walker (2015). How did hydraulic fracturing operations in the Horn River Basin change the seismicity patterns in northeast British Columbia, Canada? The Leading Edge, 34, 658–660, 662–663, doi:10.1190/tle34060658.1.

Farahbod, A.F., H. Kao, D.M. Walker, and J.F. Cassidy (2015). Investigation of regional seismicity before and after hydraulic fracturing in the Horn River Basin, northeast British Columbia, Can. J. Earth Sci., 52(2), 112-122, doi:10.1139/cjes-2014-0162.

Selected Publications on Earthquake Source Studies

Dokht, R.M.H., H. Kao, H. Ghofrani, and R. Visser (2022). Combining deep learning and the Source-Scanning Algorithm for improved seismic monitoring, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., doi:10.1785/0120220007.

Hsu, Y.-J., H. Kao, R. Bürgmann, Y.-T. Lee, H.-H. Huang, Y.-F. Hsu, Y.-M. Wu, and J. Zhuang (2021). Synchronized and asynchronous modulation of seismicity by hydrological loading: A case study in Taiwan, Science Advances, 7, eabf7282.

Gao, D., H. Kao, and B. Wang (2021). Misconception of waveform similarity in the identification of repeating earthquakes, Geophysical Research Letters, 48, e2021GL092815, doi:10.1029/2021GL092815.

Tan, F., H. Kao, E. Nissen, and Ryan Visser (2020). Tracking earthquake sequence in real time: Application of Seismicity-Scanning based on Navigated Automatic Phase-Picking (S-SNAP) to the 2019 Ridgecrest, California Sequence, Geophysical Journal International, 223(3), 1511-1524, doi:10.1093/gji/ggaa387.

Gao, D., and H. Kao (2020). Optimization of the match-filtering method for robust repeating earthquake detection: The multi-segment cross-correlation approach, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125, e2020JB19714, doi:10.1029/2020JB019714..

Yuan, J., Kao, H., & Yu, J. (2020). Depth‐Scanning Algorithm: Accurate, Automatic, and Efficient Determination of Focal Depths for Local and Regional Earthquakes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125, e2020JB019430.

Tan, F., H. Kao, E. Nissen, and D. Eaton (2019). Seismicity-scanning based on navigated automatic phase-picking, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 124, doi:10.1029/2018JB017050.

Tan, F., Z. Ge, H. Kao, and E. Nissen (2019). Validation of the 3-D phase-weighted relative back projection technique and its application to the 2016 Mw 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake, Geophys. J. Int., 217, 375-388, doi:10.1093/gji/ggz032.

Dokht, R.M.H., H. Kao, R. Visser, and B. Smith (2019). Seismic event and phase detection using time-frequency representation and convolutional neural networks, Seismol. Res. Lett., 90(2A), 481-490, doi:10.1785/0220180308.

Kao, H., S.-J. Shan, and A.M. Farahbod (2015). Source characteristics of the 2012 Haida Gwaii earthquake sequence, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am, 105, 1206-1218, doi:10.1785/0120140165.

Evangelidis, C. P., and H. Kao (2014). High-frequency source imaging of the 2011 October 23 Van (Eastern Turkey) earthquake by backprojection of strong motion waveforms, Geophys. J. Int., 196, 1060-1072, doi:10.1093/gji/ggt437.

Liao, Y.-C., H. Kao, A. Rosenberger, S.-K. Hsu, and B.-S. Huang (2012). Delineating complex spatiotemporal distribution of earthquake aftershocks: An improved Source-Scanning Algorithm, Geophys. J. Int., 189, 1753-1770, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2012.05457.x.

Kao, H., S.-J. Shan, A. Bent, C. Woodgold, G. Rogers, J. F. Cassidy, and J. Ristau (2012). Regional centroid-moment-tensor analysis for earthquakes in Canada and adjacent regions: An update, Seismol. Res. Lett., 83, 505-515, doi: 10.1785/gssrl.83.3.505.

Kan, C.-W., H. Kao, G.-B. Ou, R.-Y. Chen, and C.-H. Chang (2010). Delineating the rupture planes of an earthquake doublet using Source-Scanning Algorithm: Application to the 3 March 2005 Ilan doublet, northeast Taiwan, Geophys. J. Int., 182, 956-966, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04664.x.

Kao, H., K. Wang, R.-Y. Chen, I. Wada, J. He, and S.D. Malone (2008). Identifying rupture plane of the 2001 Nisqually, Washington, earthquake, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 98, 1546-1558.

Kao, H., and S.-J. Shan (2007). Rapid identification of earthquake rupture plane using Source-Scanning Algorithm, Geophys. J. Int., 168, 1011-1020.

Kao, H., and S.-J. Shan (2004). The Source-Scanning Algorithm: mapping the distribution of seismic sources in time and space, Geophys. J. Int., 157, 589-594.

Kao, H., and W.-P. Chen (2000). The Chi-Chi earthquake sequence: Active, out-of-sequence thrust faulting in Taiwan, Science, 288, 2346–2349.

Kao, H., P.-R. Jian, K.-F. Ma, B.-S. Huang, and C.-C. Liu (1998). Moment-tensor inversion for offshore earthquakes east of Taiwan and their implications to regional collision, Geophys. Res. Lett., 25, 3619–3622.

Selected Publications on Velocity Structure Inversion, Tomography, and Seismotectonics

Hutchinson, J., H. Kao, M. Riedel, K. Obana, K. Wang, S. Kodaira, T. Takahashi, and Y. Yamamoto (2020). Significant geometric variation of the subducted plate beneath the northernmost Cascadia subduction zone and its tectonic implications as revealed by the 2014 Mw 6.4 earthquake sequence, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 551, 116569, doi:10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116569.

Savard, G., M.G. Bostock, J. Hutchinson, H. Kao, N.I. Chirstensen, S.M. Peacock (2020), The northern terminus of Cascadia subduction, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125, e2019JB018453, doi:10.1029/2019JB18453.

Cao, L., H. Kao, K. Wang, C. Chen, J. Mori, S. Ohmi, and Y. Gao (2019). Spatiotemporal variation of crustal anisotropy in the source area of the 2004 Niigata, central Japan, earthquake, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., doi:10.1785/20180195.

Kuponiyi, A. P., H. Kao, C. R. van Staal, S. E. Dosso, J. F. Cassidy, and G. D. Spence (2017). Upper crustal investigation of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence region, eastern Canada using ambient noise tomography, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 122, doi:10.1002/2016JB013865.

Cao, L., H. Kao, and K. Wang (2017). Contrasting upper-mantle shear wave anisotropy across the transpressive Queen Charlotte margin, Tectonophysics, 717, 311-320, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2017.07.025.

Tonegawa, T., K. Obana, Y. Yamamoto, S. Kodaira, K. Wang, M. Riedel, H. Kao, and G. Spence (2016). Fracture alignments in marine sediments off Vancouver Island from Ps splitting analysis, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 107, 387-402, doi: 10.1785/0120160090.

Kim, H. S., J. F. Cassidy, S. E. Dosso, and H. Kao (2014). Mapping crustal structure of the Nechako–Chilcotin plateau using teleseismic receiver function analysis, Can. J. Earth Sci., 51, 407-417, doi:10.1139/cjes-2013-0147.

Kao, H., Y. Behr, C. A. Currie, R. Hyndman, J. Townend, F.-C. Lin, M. H. Ritzwoller, S.-J. Shan, and J. He (2013). Ambient seismic noise tomography of Canada and adjacent regions: Part I. Crustal structures, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 118, 2013JB010535, doi:10.1002/2013JB010535.

Yeh, Y.-L., H. Kao, S. Wen, W.-Y. Chang, and C.-H. Chen (2013). Surface wave tomography and azimuthal anisotropy of the Philippine Sea Plate, Tectonophysics, 592, 94-112, doi: 10.1016/j.tecto.2013.02.005.

Kao, H., and P.-R. Jian (2001). Seismogenic patterns in the Taiwan region: Insights from source parameter inversion of BATS data, Tectonophysics, 333, 179-198.

Kao, H., and J. Angelier (2001). Stress tensor inversion for the Chi-Chi earthquake sequence and its implications on regional collision, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 91, 1028-1040.

Kao, H., G.-C. Huang, and C.-S. Liu (2000). Transition from oblique subduction to collision in the northern Luzon arc–Taiwan region: Constraints from bathymetry and seismic observations, J. Geophys. Res., 105, 3059–3079.

Kao, H., S. J. Shen, and K.-F. Ma (1998). Transition from oblique subduction to collision: Earthquakes in the southernmost Ryukyu arc–Taiwan region, J. Geophys. Res., 103, 7211–7229.

Kao, H., and W.-P. Chen (1996). Seismicity in the outer-rise–fore-arc region and configuration of the subducting lithosphere with special reference to the Japan trench, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 27, 811–27,831.

Kao, H., and L. Liu (1995). A hypothesis for the seismogenesis of double seismic zone, Geophys. J. Int., 123, 71–84.

Kao, H., and W.-P. Chen (1994). The double seismic zone in Kuril–Kamchatka: The tale of two overlapping single zones, J. Geophys. Res., 99, 6913–6930.

Kao, H., and W.-P. Chen (1991). Earthquakes along the Ryukyu–Kyushu arc: strain segmentation, lateral compression,and the thermo-mechanical state of the plate interface, J. Geophys. Res., 96, 21,443–21,485.

Selected Publications on Episodic Tremor and Slip

Hyndman, R.D., P.A. McCrory, A. Wech, H. Kao, and J. Ague (2015). Cascadia subducting plate fluids channeled to fore-arc mantle corner: ETS and silica deposition, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 120, 4344–4358, doi:10.1002/ 2015JB011920.

Pollitz, F.F., A. Wech, H. Kao, R. Burgmann (2013). Annual modulation of non-volcanic tremor in northern Cascadia, J. Geophys. Res., 118, 2445-2459,doi:10.1002/jgrb.50181.

Kao, H., K. Wang, H. Dragert, J. Y. Kao, and G. Rogers (2010). Estimating seismic moment magnitude (Mw) of tremor bursts in northern Cascadia: Implications for the "seismic efficiency" of episodic tremor and slip, Geophys. Res. Lett., 37, L19306, doi:10.1029/2010GL044927.

Kao, H., S.-J. Shan, H. Dragert, and G. Rogers (2009). Northern Cascadia episodic tremor and slip: A decade of observations from 1997 to 2007, J. Geophys. Res., 114, B00A12, doi:10.1029/2008JB006046.

Kao, H., P. J. Thompson, G. Rogers, H. Dragert, and G. Spence (2007). Automatic detection and characterization of seismic tremors in northern Cascadia, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L16313, doi:10.1029/2007GL030822.

Kao, H., S.-J.Shan, G. Rogers, and H. Dragert (2007). Migration characteristics of seismic tremors in the northern Cascadia, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L03304, doi:10.1029/2006GL028430.

Kao, H., S.-J. Shan, H. Dragert, G. Rogers, J. F. Cassidy, K. Wang, T. James, and K. Ramachandran (2006). Spatial-temporal patterns of seismic tremors in northern Cascadia, J. Geophys. Res., 111, B03309, doi:10.1029/2005JB003727.

Kao, H., S.-J. Shan, H. Dragert, G. Rogers, J.F. Cassidy, and K. Ramachandran (2005). A wide depth distribution of seismic tremors along the northern Cascadia margin, Nature, 436, 841-844.

Selected Publications on Hazard Assessment, Landslides, and Other Topics

Ojo, A.O., H. Kao, Y. Jiang, M. Craymer, and J. Henton (2021). Strain accumulation and release rate in Canada: Implications for long-term crustal deformation and earthquake hazards, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126, e2020JB020529, doi:10.1029/2020JB020529.

Kuponiyi, A.P., and H. Kao (2021). Temporal variation in cultural seismic noise and noise correlation functions during COVID-19 lockdown in Canada, Seismol. Res. Lett., doi:10.1785/0220200330.

Kao, H., C.-W. Kan, R.-Y. Chen, C.-H. Chang, A. Rosenberger, T.-C. Shin, P.-L. Leu, K.-W. Kuo, and W.-T. Liang (2012). Locating, monitoring, and characterizing typhoon-induced landslides with real-time seismic signals, Landslides, 9, doi:10.1007/s10346-012-0322-z.

All publications in NRCan’s GEOSCAN database