Toward Robust Earthquake Location and Uncertainty Quantification in Dense Seismic Networks: Methodologic

Thesis topic details

General information

Organisation

The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.

Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.

The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
  

Reference

SL-DES-26-0797  

Thesis topic details

Category

Miscellaneous

Thesis topics

Toward Robust Earthquake Location and Uncertainty Quantification in Dense Seismic Networks: Methodological Developments and Application to Cephalonia Island (Western Greece) and the Middle Durance region (France)

Contract

Thèse

Job description

This PhD project aims to develop a robust methodological framework for earthquake location and realistic uncertainty quantification in the context of dense seismic networks. Despite recent advances in automatic detection, deep-learning-based phase picking, and earthquake relocation techniques, uncertainties related to velocity models and network geometry remain a major limitation and are often underestimated by conventional approaches. The project will compare and benchmark different detection, picking, and location methodologies in order to assess their respective strengths and limitations. Particular emphasis will be placed on identifying, quantifying, and disentangling the main sources of uncertainty, including phase picking errors, network configuration, and velocity model assumptions. The research will primarily rely on data from Cephalonia Island (Greece). In a second phase, the developed methodologies will be transferred to the Middle Durance region near Cadarache (France), allowing their applicability to lower-seismicity environments to be assessed. The expected outcomes include improved seismic catalogs, a better understanding of active tectonic processes.

University / doctoral school

Sciences Fondamentales et Appliquées (EDSFA)
Nice-Sophia-Antipolis

Thesis topic location

Site

Cadarache

Requester

Position start date

01/10/2026

Person to be contacted by the applicant

HOLLENDER Fabrice fabrice.hollender@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DCET//GEX

0684012868

Tutor / Responsible thesis director

HOLLENDER Fabrice fabrice.hollender@cea.fr
CEA
DES/DCET//GEX

0684012868

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