Jose Angel Lopez Comino

Alumni

Postdoctoral fellow until 2019​

Alumni

Research Interests

​My main research interests are the seismology and the analysis of natural and induced earthquake sources. My current position is ascribed to FRAGEN project (Fracture activation in geo-reservoirs - physics of (induced) earthquakes in complex fault networks), which will shed light on properties and activation of fractures in geo-reservoirs, natural or man-made, using seismic data analysis and physics-based earthquake simulations on high-performance computing infrastructure. My last position at GFZ-Potsdam (Germany) was ascribed to the European Union project SHEER (SHale gas Exploration and Exploitation induced Risks), where 8 research institution from different countries were involved (www.sheerproject.eu). This postdoctoral stage ​was mainly focused on induced seismicity assessment by different hydraulic fracturing experiments in Europe (Wysin, Poland and Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory, Sweden) and the seismic source analysis of the largest and most relevant induced earthquakes worldwide (e.g. the 2016 Mw 5.1 Fairview, Oklahoma earthquake and the 2017 Mw 5.5 Pohang, South Korea earthquake). During my predoctoral stage at the Andalusia Institute of Geophysics - University of Granada we developed new inversion techniques to characterize seismic sources, including point source models, extended source inversions, calculating rupture directivity and the resolution of seismic source parameters.

Selected Publications

  • Karamzadeh, N., Kühn, D., Kriegerowski, M., López-Comino, J. A., Cesca, S. and Dahm, T. (2018). Small aperture array as a tool to monitor injection/extraction induced microseismicity: applications and recommendations. Acta Geophysica, accepted.
  • Cielesta, S., Orlecka-Sikora, B., Staszek, M., Urban, P., Olszewska, D., Jarosławski, J., Ruigrok, E., Toon, S., Picozzi, M., Kwiatek, G., López-Comino, J. A ., Cesca, S. and Isherwook, C. (2018). SHEER “smart” database – technical note. Acta Geophysica, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11600-018-0205-3.
  • López-Comino, J. A.  and Cesca, S. (2018). Source complexity of an injection induced event: the 2016 Mw 5.1 Fairview, Oklahoma earthquake. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45 (9), 4025-4032.
  • Grigoli, F., Cesca, S., Rinaldi, A. P., Manconi, A., López-Comino, J. A. , Clinton, J. F., Westaway, R., Cauzzi, C., Dahm, T. and Wiemer, S. (2018). The November 2017 Mw 5.5 Pohang earthquake: A possible case of induced seismicity in South Korea. Science 360 (6392), 1003-1006.
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Cesca, S., Jarosławski, J., Montcoudiol, N., Heimann, S., Dahm, T., Lasocki, S., Gunning, A., Capuano, P. and Ellsworth, W. L. (2018). Induced seismicity response of hydraulic fracturing: results of a multidisciplinary monitoring at the Wysin site, Poland, Scientific Reports, 8, 8653.
  • Cesca, S., López-Comino, J. A. , Kühn, D. and Dahm, T. (2018): Array in Wittewierum, Netherlands. Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum GFZ. Other/Seismic Network. doi:10.14470/6P7561560569.
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Cesca, S., Heimann, S., Grigoli, F., Milkereit, C., Dahm, T. and Zang, A. (2017). Characterization of hydraulic fractures growth during the Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory experiment (Sweden), Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering, 50, 11, p. 2985-3001.
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Heimann, S., Cesca, S., Milkereit, C., Dahm, T. and Zang, A. (2017). Automated Full Waveform Detection and Location Algorithm of Acoustic Emissions from Hydraulic Fracturing Experiment, Procedia Engineering, 191, p. 697-702.
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Cesca, S., Kriegerowski, M., Heimann, S., Dahm, T., Mirek, J. and Lasocki, S. (2017). Monitoring performance using synthetic data for induced microseismicity by hydrofracking at the Wysin site (Poland), Geophys. J. Int., 210, 42-55.
  • López-Comino, J. A.,  Stich, D., Morales, J. and Ferreira, A. M. G. (2016). Resolution of rupture directivity in weak events: 1-D versus 2-D source parameterizations for the 2011, Mw 4.6 and 5.2 Lorca earthquakes, Spain, J. Geophys. Res. Solid Earth, 121, 6608–6626.
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Stich, D., Ferreira, A.M.G. and Morales, J. (2015). Extended fault inversion with random slipmaps: a resolution test for the 2012 Mw 7.6 Nicoya, Costa Rica earthquake, Geophys. J. Int, 202, 77–93.
  • Morales, J., Cantavella, J. V., Mancilla, F. L., Lozano, L., Stich, D., Herraiz, E., Martin, J. B., López-Comino, J. A.  and Martinez-Solares, J. M. (2013). The 2011 Lorca seismic series: Temporal evolution, faulting parameters and hypocentral relocation, Bull. Earthquake Eng., 12, 5, p. 1871-1888.
  • López-Comino, J. A.,  Mancilla, F., Morales, J. and Stich, D. (2012). Rupture directivity of the 2011, Mw 5.2 Lorca earthquake (Spain), Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L03301. 
  • López-Comino, J. A. , Mancilla, F., Stich, D. y Morales, J. (2012). Directividad y propiedades de la ruptura finita del terremoto de Lorca, 2011, Boletín Geológico y Minero, 123 (4): 431-440.
  • Alguacil de la Blanca, G., Vidal Sánchez, F., Stich, D., Mancilla Pérez, F., López-Comino, J. A. , Morales Soto, J. y Navarro Bernal, M. (2012). Parámetros de la fuente y del movimiento del suelo del terremoto de Lorca de 2011, Física de la Tierra, 24:41–69.

Education

  • ​2014    PhD in Earth Sciences. University of Granada, Andalusia Institute of Geophysics, Spain (cum laude).
  • 2012    MSc in Geophysics, University of Granada, Spain.
  • 2010    BSc in Civil Engineering (“Ingeniero de Caminos, Canales y Puertos”), University of Granada, Spain.

Professional Profile

  • ​2018 – present: Post-Doc position at FRAGEN project, KAUST (Saudi Arabia).
  • 2015 – 2018: Post-Doc position at SHEER project, GFZ-Potsdam (Germany).
  • 2015: Postdoctoral visiting research (3 months), Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN (USA) with Dr. Robert L. Nowack.
  • 2014 – 2015: Post-Doc position, fellowship from Andalusia Government, University of Granada, Spain.
  • 2013: Surveillance of the volcanic and seismic activity In Deception Island and maintenance of permanent seismic stations in the South Shetland, Antarctica (2 months).
  • 2012: Predoctoral visiting research (3 months), University of East Anglia, Norwich (United Kingdom) with Dr. Ana Ferreira.
  • 2012: Surveillance of the volcanic and seismic activity In Deception Island and maintenance of permanent seismic stations in the South Shetland, Antarctica (2 months).
  • 2010 – 2014: PhD student, fellowship from Andalusia Government at University of Granada, Spain.

Awards

  • ​Best poster presentation at DGG (Deutschen Geophysikalischen Gesellschaft), Potsdam (Germany), March 2017.​