SHAUL HURWITZ

	U.S. Geological Survey MS #439 345 Middlefield Rd. Menlo Park, CA 94025 Tel: (650) 329-4441 shaulh@usgs.gov

Education
Ph.D., The Hebrew University, Israel

Research interests
My research interests focus on the coupling between groundwater flow, heat and mass transport, and various geological processes, mainly in volcano-hydrothermal systems. In these systems, aqueous and gas-rich fluids are a source of hazard (e.g., propellant in steam-driven explosions, lubricant in mudflows, toxic gases and dissolved constituents), a resource (e.g., geothermal energy and mineral deposits), and a potential indicator for one of the earliest warnings of unrest. Many of the geochemical, geodetic, and seismic signals measured at the ground surface as part of the volcano monitoring techniques have hydrothermal origins or magmatic origins modulated by the intervening hydrothermal system. My major research objectives are to characterize spatial and temporal patterns of temperature, pressure, chemistry, and phase (e.g. liquid or gas) in volcano-hydrothermal systems and relate them to magmatic and/or volcanic activity. I also apply multi-phase numerical models to develop quantitative and conceptual models of hydrothermal systems. This research is intended to support the USGS Volcano Hazards Program’s broad goal of lessening the harmful impacts of volcanic activity and the USGS Geothermal Program to explore and develop technologies that will allow us to tap into reservoirs of geothermal heat that are known to exist in the Earth’s crust.

 

Research projects

* Numerical simulations of volcano-hydrothermal systems.

* Characterizing the composition and flux of magmatic volatiles as indicators of magmatic activity

* Time-series analysis of processes in hydrothermal systems

* Advective heat transport in volcanic systems

* Geyser dynamics

* Development of technology to improve volcano monitoring

* Co-organizer of the annual Hubbert Quorum on crustal fluids

 

Publications

Ingebritsen, S.E., Geiger, S., Hurwitz, S., Driesner, T., 2009, Numerical simulation of magmatic hydrothermal systems, Reviews of Geophysics, doi:10.1029/2009RG000287, in press.

Hutnak, M., Hurwitz, S., Ingebritsen, S., Hsieh., 2009, Numerical models of caldera deformation: Effects of multi-phase and multi-component hydrothermal fluid flow, Journal of Geophysical Research, 114, B04411, doi:10.1029/2008JB006151. abstract | pdf

Werner, C.,. Hurwitz, S., Bergfeld, B., Evans, W.C., Lowenstern, J.B., Heasler, H., Jaworowski, C., Hunt, A., 2008, Volatile emissions and gas geochemistry of Hot Spring Basin, Yellowstone National Park, USA, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research, 178 , 751-762, DOI: 10.1016/j.jvolgeores.2008.09.016 . abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., Kumar, A., Taylor, R., Heasler, H., 2008, Climate-induced variations of geyser periodicity in Yellowstone National Park, USA, Geology, 36, 451-454. abstract | pdf | press coverage

Lowenstern, J.B., Hurwitz, S., 2008, Monitoring a supervolcano in repose: Heat and volatile flux at the Yellowstone Caldera, Elements, 4 , 35-40. abstract | pdf

Ingebritsen, S.E., Hurwitz, S., and Brodsky, E.E., 2008, Note from the Hubbert Quorum, Geofluids, 8, 1-2. pdf

Farrar, C.D., Evans, W.C., Venezky, D.Y., Hurwitz, S., Oliver, L.K., 2007, Boiling water at Hot Creek – the dangerous and dynamic thermal springs in California's Long Valley Caldera: U.S. Geological Survey Fact Sheet 2007-3045, http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2007/3045/.

Hurwitz , S., Eagan, S., Heasler, H., Lowenstern, J.B., 2007, River chemistry and solute flux in Yellowstone National Park, U.S. Geological Survey Digital Data Series 278, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2007/278/

Hurwitz, S., Evans, W.C., Lowenstern, J.B., Bergfeld, D., Werner, C., Heasler, H., Jaworowski, C., 2007, Extensive hydrothermal rock alteration in a low pH, steam-heated environment: Hot Springs Basin, Yellowstone National Park, in Bullen, T.D., and Wang, Y. eds: Proceedings of the Water-Rock Interaction Symposium -12, Kunming, China, p. 81-85. pdf

Hurwitz, S., Lowenstern, J.B., Heasler, H., 2007 Spatial and temporal geochemical trends in the hydrothermal system of Yellowstone National Park: inferences from river solute fluxes, Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Rsearch , 162, 149-171. abstract | pdf

Christiansen, L.B., Hurwitz, S., Ingebritsen, S., 2007, Annual modulation of seismicity along the San Andreas Fault near Parkfield, CA, Geophysical research Letters, 34, L04306, doi:10.1029/2006GL028634. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., Christiansen, L.B., Hsieh, P., 2007, Hydrothermal fluid flow and Deformation in large calderas: inferences from numerical simulations, Journal of Geophysical Research, 112, B02206, doi:10.1029/2006JB004689. abstract | pdf

Abedini, A.A., Hurwitz, S., and Evans, W.C., 2006, USGS-NoGaDat – A global dataset of noble gas concentrations and their isotopic ratios in volcanic systems, U.S. Geological SurveyDigitalData Series , 202, http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/2006/202/

Mariner, R.H., Venezky, D.Y., and Hurwitz, S.,2006, Chemical and isotopic database of water and gas from hydrothermal systems with an emphasis for the western United States, U.S. Geological Survey DigitalData Series, 169

Christiansen, L.B., Hurwitz, S., Saar , M.O., Ingebritsen, S.E., and Hsieh, P.A., 2005, Seasonal seismicity at western United States volcanic centers: Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 240, 307– 321. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., Mariner, R.H., Fehn, U., Snyder, G.T., 2005, Systematics of halogen elements and their radioisotopes in thermal springs of the Cascade Range, Central Oregon, Western USA, Earth and Planetary Science Letters , 35 , 700-714, doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2005.04.029 . abstract | pdf

Goldman, M., Gvirtzman, H. and S. Hurwitz, 2004, Mapping saline groundwater beneath the Sea of Galilee and its vicinity using time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) geophysical technique, Israel Journal of Earth Sciences, 53, 187-197. abstract | pdf

Evans, W.C., M. van Soest, R.H. Mariner, S. Hurwitz, S.E. Ingebritsen, C.W. Wicks, M.E. Schmidt, 2004, Magmatic intrusion west of Three Sisters, central Oregon, USA: The perspective from spring geochemistry, Geology, 32, 69–72; doi: 10.1130/G19974.1. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz , S., K.L. Kipp, M.E. Reid, and S.E. Ingebritsen, 2003, Groundwater flow, heat transport, and water-table position within volcanic edifices: Implications for volcanic processes in the Cascade Range, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108,  2557, doi: 10.1029/2003JB002565. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., and M.J. Johnston, 2003, Groundwater level changes in a deep well in response to an intrusion event on Kilauea Volcano, Hawai’i, Geophysical Research Letters, 30, 22,2173, doi:10.1029/2003GL018676. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz , S., and S.E. Ingebritsen, 2003, Good news or bad?: New study of temperature inversions in NSF deep geothermal well at Kilauea volcano: Geothermal Resources Council Bulletin, 32, 111-115. pdf

Hurwitz , S., F. Goff, C.J. Janik, W.C. Evans, D.A. Counce, M.L. Sorey, S.E. Ingebritsen, 2003, M ixing of magmatic volatiles with groundwater and interaction with basalt, on the summit of Kilauea Volcano , Hawaii, Journal of Geophysical Research, 108, 2028, doi:10.1029/2001JB001594. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., Garfunkel, Z., Ben-Gai, Y., Reznikov, M., Rotstein, Y., and Gvirtzman, H., 2002, The tectonic framework of the Kinarot-Beit Shean basin ( Dead Sea transform): Evidence from multi-channel seismic reflection. Tectonophysics, 359 , 289-306. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., S.E. Ingebritsen and M.L. Sorey, 2002, Episodic thermal perturbations associated with groundwater flow: Example from Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii , Journal of Geophysical Research, 107 , 2297, doi:10.1029/2001JB001654. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., Stanislavsky, E., Lyakhovsky, L. and Gvirtzman, H., 2000, Groundwater interactions with an alternating fresh/saline-water lake in a continental rift: Sea of Galilee, Israel. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 112,1694-1702. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz. S., Matmon, A., Ron, H. and Heimann, A., 2000, Deformation along the margins of the Dead Sea Transform: the Yehudia Block, Golan Heights. Israel Journal of Earth Sciences, 48, 257-264.

Hurwitz, S., Lyakhovsky, L. and Gvirtzman, H., 2000, Transient salt-transport modeling of a shallow brine beneath a fresh-water lake, the Sea of Galilee. Water Resources Research,36, 101-108. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., 1999, The Structure and Hydrodynamics of a Groundwater-lake System in a Continental Rift: an Example From the Sea of Galilee, Ph.D. thesis, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 106 pp.

Hurwitz, S., Goldman, M., Ezersky, M. and Gvirtzman, H., 1999, Geophysical (TDEM) delineation of a shallow brine beneath a fresh-water lake, the Sea of Galilee. Water Resources Research, 35, 3631-3638. abstract | pdf

Rimmer, A., Hurwitz, S. and Gvirtzman, H., 1999, Spatial and temporal characteristics of saline springs: Sea of Galilee, Israel. Ground Water, 37, 663-673. abstract | pdf

Goldman, M., Hurwitz, S., Gvirtzman, H., Rotstein, Y. and Rabinovitch, B., 1996. Application of the marine time domain electromagnetic method in lakes: the Sea of Galilee, Israel. European Journal of Environmental Engineering and Geophysics,1, 125-138.

Lyakhovsky, L., Hurwitz, S. and Navon, O., 1996. Bubble growth in rhyolitic melts: Experimental and numerical investigation. Bulletin of Volcanology, 58, 19-32. abstract | pdf

Hurwitz, S., 1994, Bubble Nucleation and Growth in Rhyolitic Melts: Experiments at High Pressure, Temperature and Water Content, M.Sc.. thesis, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 90 pp.

Hurwitz, S. and Navon, O., 1994. Bubble nucleation in rhyolitic melts: Experiments at high pressure, temperature and water contents. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 122, 267-280. abstract | pdf