Sylvain Barbot

Sylvain Barbot is an Associate Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of Southern California (USC) Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. His research focuses on understanding the physics of fault systems, earthquake mechanics, and tectonic processes. He holds a Ph.D. in Earth Sciences from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego (2009), followed by postdoctoral training. His work integrates field observations, geodetic data analysis, and numerical modeling to study fault dynamics, frictional processes, and deformation in Earth's crust and upper mantle.

Research interests include:

• Fault slip stability and earthquake nucleation
• Thermomechanical behavior of fault zones
• Seismic cycle modeling in subduction zones and continental margins
• Interactions between tectonic deformation and climate
• Remote sensing applications in geohazard assessment

Recent studies analyze rupture segmentation, asthenosphere flow modulation during earthquake cycles, and the structural controls on seismic hazards. His computational tools, such as the Motorcycle numerical method, advance simulations of multi-fault systems. He has contributed to understanding the 2014 Iquique, 2023 Kahramanmaraş, and 2022 Kaikōura earthquakes through geodetic and mechanical analyses.

No scientific awards were explicitly mentioned in the provided texts. He advises no listed students but collaborates on large-scale geodynamic projects. His work interfaces with international initiatives like the SEAS community code verification exercises for earthquake simulations.