Nick Rawlinson 
Position: Senior Fellow
Research School
of Earth Sciences,
Australian
National University
Canberra, ACT 0200, AUSTRALIA
tel: +61-2-6125 5512
fax: +61-2-6257 2737
Email: nick@rses.anu.edu.au
Research Interests
Ray-tracing/wavefront propagation in 3-D complex
media. In particular, I am interested in the two point problem of locating
ray paths between a source and a receiver. Currently, I am investigating
methods of determining multi-paths through media that may include large
variations in velocity and interface geometry. All source-receiver paths
along which seismic energy of significant amplitude propagates are
potentially
useful, especially with the advent of modern broadband 3-component recorders.
Another area of interest is the geophysical inverse problem. For example,
the use of tomographic style inversion methods to image the subsurface
using the properties of seismic waves (e.g. traveltimes).
Wavefront
propagation in complex media
WOMBAT seismic
array
Seismic tomography with irregular parameterization
Software
As part of my research at RSES, I have developed, or been involved in the
development of, several software packages. Follow the links below to download code
for performing adaptive stacking, teleseismic tomography in 3-D spherical
coorinates using fast marching, and 3-D ray tracing in complex layered media.
Adaptive stacking code
for arrival time residual estimation and
array beamforming.
3-D wavefront tracking code for tracking phases comprising any
number of
reflection and transmission branches in complex layered media. Uses fast marching
to compute traveltimes, and can also generate raypaths and Frechet derivatives.
FMTT: A Teleseismic tomography code for mapping relative arrival time
residuals as 3-D variations in wavespeed beneath a seismic array.
FMST: A spherical shell (surface wave) tomography code for mapping traveltime
residuals as 2-D variations in wavespeed.
FMTOMO: for mapping a variety of traveltime datasets (e.g. local
earthquake, teleseismic, reflection, wide-angle) as 3-D variations in seismic
wavespeed and interface structure. Sources may also be relocated.
Teaching
Follow the link below to access a series of lectures on seismology that I
give as part of the RSES Earth Physics Masters course. A wide range of topics are
covered, including continuum mechanics, derivation of the elastic wave equation,
body waves, surface waves and dispersion, ray theory, anisotropy, earthquake
relocation, earthquake source mechanisms and radiation patterns, earthquake
magnitudes, free oscillations and seismic tomography.
Teaching material
Academic Background
Education
BSc (hons): Monash University, 1997.
PhD: Monash University, 2001.
Inversion of seismic data for layered
crustal structure
[Download as PDF (52 Mb)]
Appointments
Postdoctoral Fellow
Research School of Earth Sciences
Australian National University
2001-2003
Research Fellow
Research School of Earth Sciences
Australian National University
2004
ARC Research Fellow
Research School of Earth Sciences
Australian National University
2005-2007
Fellow
Research School of Earth Sciences
Australian National University
2008-
Awards/Scholarships
Leo Gleeson Prize in Mathematics
(1996)
Australian Postgraduate Award
(1997-2000)
AGCRC Research Scholarship
(1997-2000)
Research Grants
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP0451133
2004-2006
AUS$255,000 over 3 years
Project title: Multi-arrival wavefront tracking for improved seismic
imaging of the Earth's interior
Chief Investigators: Nick Rawlinson, Malcolm Sambridge
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP0556282
2005-2007
AUS$305,000 over 3 years
Project title: Exploring deep Australia: 3-D imaging of the
lithosphere beneath south-east Australia using multiple high density seismic
arrays
Chief Investigator: Nick Rawlinson
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP0770131
2007-2009
AUS$251,000 over 3 years
Project title: From crust to core: probing the heterogeneity of the Earth
with seismic arrays
Chief Investigators: Brian Kennett, Nick Rawlinson
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP0986750
2009-20011
AUS$300,000 over 3 years
Project title: Seismic tomography using signal and noise: A new window into deep Earth
Chief Investigators: Nick Rawlinson, Malcolm Sambridge, Hrvoje Tkalcic
Partner Investigator: Dick Glen
Australian Research Council Linkage project LP0990266
2009-20011
AUS$100,000 over 3 years
Project title: 3D seismic velocity structure for geothermal exploration: a novel approach combining
ambient and passive seismic methods
Chief Investigators: Anya Reading, Nick Rawlinson
Australian Research Council Linkage project LP110100256
2011-2013
AUS$314,000 over 3 years
Project title: Beneath Bass Strait: linking Tasmania and mainland Australia using a novel seismic experiment
Chief Investigators: Nick Rawlinson, Anya Reading, Nick Direen
EIF round 3
2011-2014
AUS$3,950,000 over 4 years
Project title: The Australian Geophysical Observing System - Earth Sounding
Coordinators: Nick Rawlinson, Graham Heinson
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP120103673
2012-2014
AUS$420,000 over 3 years
Project title: Down under down under: using multi-scale seismic tomography to image beneath Australia's
Great Artesian Basin
Chief Investigators: Nick Rawlinson, Yingjie Yang
Australian Research Council Discovery project DP120102372
2012-2014
AUS$285,000 over 3 years
Project title: What lies beneath: unveiling the fine-scale 3D compositional and thermal structure of
the sub continental lithosphere and upper mantle
Chief Investigators: Juan C. Afonso, Yingjie Yang, Nick Rawlinson, Alan G. Jones, James Connolly,
Sergei Lebedev
Australian Research Council LIEF project LE120100061
2012
AUS$285,000 over 1 year
Project title: A new seismic facility for investigating tectonic collision zones, earthquake hazards
and passive imaging techniques
Chief Investigators: Nick Rawlinson, David Lumley, Mike Sandiford, Phil Cummins, Mike Dentith, Gordon
lister, Jeff Shragge, Tim Rawling, Sara Pozgay
Publications
(1) International Refereed Journals
Fishwick, S. and Rawlinson, N. 2012.
3-D structure of the Australian lithosphere from evolving seismic datasets.
Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 59, 809-826.
Download as PDF (6.2 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Goleby, B. R. 2012.
Seismic imaging of continents and their margins: New research at the confluence of active and passive seismology.
Tectonophysics 572, 1-6.
Download as PDF (193 kb)
Tkalcic, H., Rawlinson, N., Arroucau, P., Kumar, A. and Kennett, B.
L. N. 2012.
Multistep modelling of receiver-based seismic and ambient noise data
from WOMBAT array: crustal structure beneath southeast Australia.
Geophysical Journal International, 189, , 1680-1700.
Download as PDF (4.7 Mb)
Bodin, T., Sambridge, M., Rawlinson, N., Arroucau, P. and Rawlinson,
N. 2012.
Transdimensional tomography with unknown data noise.
Geophysical Journal International, 189, 1536-1556.
Download as PDF (16 Mb)
Bodin, T., Sambridge, M., Tkalcic, H., Arroucau, P., Gallagher, K. and Rawlinson,
N. 2012.
Transdimensional inversion of receiver functions and surface wave dispersion.
Journal of Geophysical Research 117, B02301, doi:10.1029/2011JB008560.
Download as PDF (0.7 Mb)
Young, M. K., Tkalcic, H., Rawlinson, N. and Reading, A. M. 2012.
Exploiting seismic signal and noise in an intracratonic environment to constrain crustal structure and
source parameters of infrequent earthquakes.
Geophysical Journal International 188, 1303-1321.
Download as PDF (5.6 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Fishwick, S. 2012.
Seismic structure of the southeast Australian lithosphere from surface and body wave tomography.
Tectonophysics, doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2011.11.016.
Download as PDF (5.6 Mb)
Young, M. K., Rawlinson, N., Arroucau, P., Reading, A. M. and Tkalcic, H. 2011.
High-frequency ambient noise tomography of southeast Australia: New constraints on Tasmania's tectonic past.
Geophysical Research Letters 38, L13313, doi:10.1029/2011GL047971.
Download as PDF (5.6 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Kennett, B. L. N., Vanacore, E., Glen, R. A. and Fishwick, S. 2011. The structure of the
upper mantle beneath the Delamerian and Lachlan orogens from simultaneous inversion of multiple teleseismic datasets.
Gondwana Research,19, 788-799.
Download as PDF (3.9 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Sambridge, M. and Hauser, J. 2010. Multipathing, reciprocal traveltime fields and
raylets.
Geophys. J. Int. 181, 1077-1092.
Download as PDF (2.1 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Tkalcic, H. and Reading, A. M. 2010. Structure of the
Tasmanian lithosphere from 3-D seismic tomography.
Australian Journal of Earth Sciences 57, 381-394.
Download as PDF (5.0 Mb)
Arroucau, P., Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M. 2010. New insight into Cainozoic sedimentary basins
and Palaeozoic suture zones in southeast Australia from ambient noise surface wave tomography.
Geophys. Res. Lett. 37, L07303, doi:10.1029/2009GL041974.
Download as PDF (2.0 Mb)
Musgrave, R. and Rawlinson, N. 2010. Linking the upper crust to the upper mantle: comparison of
teleseismic tomography with long-wavelength features of the gravity and magnetic fields of southeastern Australia.
Exploration Geophysics 41, 155-162.
Download as PDF (2.0 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Pozgay, S. and Fishwick, S. 2010. Seismic tomography: A window into deep Earth.
Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 178, 101-135.
Download as PDF (5.9 Mb)
Schellart, W. P. and Rawlinson, N. 2010. Convergent plate margin dynamics: New perspectives from
structural geology, geophysics and geodynamic modelling.
Tectonophysics 483, 4-19.
Download as PDF (731 Kb)
Schellart, W. P. and Rawlinson, N. 2010. Introduction to the special issue on convergent plate
margin dynamics.
Tectonophysics 483, 1-3.
Download as PDF (104 Kb)
Hauser, J., M. Sambridge, and N. Rawlinson,
2008. Multiarrival wavefront tracking and its applications.
Geochem. Geophys. Geosyst. 9, doi:10.1029/2008GC002069
Download as PDF (2.9 Mb)
Tkalcic, H., Rodgers, A., Rawlinson, N., McEwan, D.
J. and Snelson, C. M.,
2008. Teleseismic travel time delays in the Las Vegas Basin.
Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am. 98, 2047-2060.
Download as PDF (1.2 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Kennett, B. L. N.,
2008. Teleseismic tomography of the upper mantle beneath the southern Lachlan Orogen.
Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 167, 84-97.
Download as PDF (3.7 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Sambridge, M. and Saygin, E.,
2008. A dynamic objective function technique for generating multiple solution models in seismic tomography.
Geophys. J. Int., 174, 295-308.
Download as PDF (0.9 Mb)
Sambridge, M., Rickwood, P., Rawlinson, N. and Sommacal,
S., 2007. Automatic Differentiation in geophysical inverse problems.
Geophys. J. Int., 170, 1-8.
Download as PDF (4.9 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Hauser, J. and Sambridge, M., 2007.
Seismic ray tracing and wavefront tracking in laterally heterogeneous media.
Advances in Geophysics, 49. 203-267.
Download as PDF (5.3 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., de Kool, M. and Sambridge, M., 2006.
Seismic wavefront tracking in 3-D heterogeneous media: applications with multiple
data classes.
Explor. Geophys., 37, 322-330.
Download as PDF (13.9 Mb)
Hauser, J., Sambridge, M. and Rawlinson, N. 2006.
Phase space methods for multi arrival wavefronts.
Explor. Geophys., 37, 331-339.
Download as PDF (7.3 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Urvoy, M., 2006.
Simultaneous inversion of active and passive source datasets for 3-D seismic
structure with application to Tasmania.
Geophys. Res. Lett., 33 L24313, doi:10.1029/2006GL028105.
Download as PDF (900 Kb)
de Kool, M., Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M. 2006.
A practical grid based method for tracking multiple refraction and
reflection phases in 3D heterogeneous media,
Geophys. J. Int., 167, 253-270.
Download as PDF (2.3 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Kennett, B. L. N. and
Heintz, M.
2006. Insights into the structure of the upper mantle beneath the Murray Basin from
3-D teleseismic tomography,
Aust. J. Earth Sci., 53, 595-604.
Download as PDF (2.0 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Reading, A. M. and
Kennett, B. L. N.,
2006. Lithospheric structure of Tasmania from a novel form of teleseismic
tomography,
J. Geophys. Res., 111, B02301, doi:10.1029/2005JB003803.
Download as PDF (13.6 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge M., 2005. The fast
marching method: An effective tool for tomographic imaging and tracking
multiple phases in complex layered media,
Explor. Geophys., 36, 341-350.
Download as PDF (3.8 Mb)
Sambridge, M. and Rawlinson, N., 2005.
Seismic tomography with irregular meshes,
Geophysical Monograph Series, 157, 49-65.
Download as PDF (8.7 Mb)
Kennett, B. L. N., Fishwick, S., Reading, A. M. and
Rawlinson, N., 2004. Contrasts in mantle structure beneath Australia:
relation to Tasman Lines?, Aust. J. Earth Sci.,
51, 563-569.
Download as PDF (3.7 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Kennett, B. L. N., 2004.
Rapid estimation of relative and absolute delay times across a network by
adaptive stacking,
Geophys. J. Int., 157, 332-340.
Download as PDF (1.5 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M., 2004.
Multiple reflection and transmission phases in complex layered media using a
multistage fast marching method,
Geophysics, 69, 1338-1350.
Download as PDF (1.0 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M., 2004.
Wavefront evolution in strongly heterogeneous layered media using the
fast marching method,
Geophys. J. Int., 156, 631-647.
Download as PDF (3.3 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M., 2003.
Irregular interface parameterization in 3-D wide-angle seismic traveltime
tomography,
Geophys. J. Int., 155, 79-92.
Download as PDF (3.2 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Sambridge, M., 2003.
Seismic traveltime tomography of the crust and lithosphere,
Advances in Geophysics, 46, 81-198.
Download as PDF (3.5 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Houseman, G. A., Collins, C. D.
N. and Drummond, B. J., 2001. New evidence of Tasmania's tectonic history
from a novel seismic experiment,
Geophys. Res. Lett., 28, 3337-3340.
Download as PDF (1.3 Mb)
Rawlinson, N., Houseman, G. A. and Collins, C.
D. N., 2001. Inversion of seismic refraction and wide-angle reflection
traveltimes for 3-D layered crustal structure, Geophys. J. Int.,
145, 381-401.
Download as PDF (3.7 Mb)
Drummond, B. J., Barton, T. J., Korsch, R. J.,
Rawlinson, N., Yeates, A. N., Collins, C. D. N. and Brown, A.V., 2000.
Evidence for crustal extension and inversion in eastern Tasmania, Australia,
during the Neoproterozoic and Early Palaeozoic, Tectonophysics,
329,
1-21.
Download as PDF (3.9 Mb)
Rawlinson, N. and Houseman, G. A., 1998. Inversion
for interface structure using teleseismic traveltime residuals, Geophys.
J. Int., 133, 756-772.
Download as PDF (1.0 Mb)
(2) Technical Reports
Rawlinson, N., 1996. Methods and codes used in
seismic tomography, Record 1996/21, Australian Geological Survey
Organisation.
Rawlinson, N., 2007. Asthenosphere, McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia
of Science and Technology, 269-272.
(3) Conference Abstracts
Rawlinson, N., 2006.
Seismic Wavefront Tracking in Heterogeneous Media: Theory and Application,
EOS Trans, 87, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S42B-05.
Invited talk
Rawlinson, N., 2006.
Tectonic evolution of southeast Australia: Insights from body wave tomography,
EOS Trans, 87, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S51C-1279.
Rawlinson, N. and Kennett, B. L. N., 2006. Detailed
teleseismic imaging of the crust and upper mantle beneath southeast Australia,
Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2006, Melbourne. Geological Society of
Australia and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Abstracts, 116.
Rawlinson, N., de Kool, M. and Sambridge, M., 2006.
Seismic wavefront tracking in 3D heterogeneous media,
Australian Earth Sciences Convention 2006, Melbourne. Geological Society of
Australia and Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists, Abstracts, 186.
Rawlinson, N. and Kennett, B. L. N., 2005. Detailed
teleseismic imaging of
transitions in the lithosphere beneath south east Australia using data from
multiple seismic arrays, EGU General Assembly, 6, Geophysical
Research Abstracts, 03824.
Rawlinson, N., Kennett, B. & Reading, A., 2004.
3-D teleseismic tomography of the crust and upper mantle beneath northern Tasmania,
Australia,
EOS Trans, 85, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S11E-07.
Sambridge, M. & Rawlinson, N., 2004.
Seismic applications of the fast marching method: traveltime prediction in complex
layered media and 3-D tomographic imaging,
EOS Trans, 85, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S31B-1044.
Rawlinson, N., Reading, A. & Kennett, B., 2004.
Three-dimensional structure of the lithosphere beneath northern Tasmania from
seismic traveltimes, 17th Australian Geological
Convention, Hobart. Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 73,
113.
Reading, A. & Rawlinson, N., 2004.
A deeper look at the terranes of southern Victoria and Tasmania: constraints from
the broadband stations of the TIGGER seismic network. 17th Australian Geological
Convention, Hobart. Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 73,
181.
Rawlinson, N. & Sambridge, M., 2003. Accurate
multi-phase traveltimes in 2-D layered media using a fast marching scheme with
source grid refinement,
EOS Trans, 84, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract S22G-04.
Rawlinson, N. & Sambridge, M., 2003.
Multi-valued traveltime fields and wavefronts in layered media using the Fast
Marching Method,
EGS-AGU-EUG Joint Assembly, Geophysical Research Abstracts,
5, 2427.
Rawlinson, N. & Sambridge, M., 2002. Wavefront
evolution in complex layered media using the Fast Marching Method,
EOS Trans, 83, AGU Fall Meet. Suppl., F985.
Rawlinson, N. & Sambridge, M., 2002. Wavefront
propagation in layered media using the Fast Marching Method,
27th General Assembly EGS, Geophysical Research Abstracts,
21.
Rawlinson, N. & Houseman, G. A., 1999. Inversion
method for determination of 3-D layered crustal structure using wide-angle
seismic traveltimes, Fall AGU meeting, EOS Trans, 80,
F695.
Houseman, G. A., Rawlinson, N. & Collins,
C. D. N., 1999. Inversion of wide-angle seismic traveltimes for 3-D crustal
structure of Tasmania, Fall AGU meeting, EOS Trans, 80,
F675.
Rawlinson, N., Houseman, G. A. & Collins,
C. D. N., 1999. Inversion of wide-angle seismic data for 3-D crustal
structure
of NW Tasmania, 13th Victorian Universities Earth Sciences Conference,
University of of Melbourne, Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts
54, 13.
Rawlinson, N., Semenova, T.0., Collins, C.D.N.,
Houseman, G.A. & Drummond, B.J., 1999. Crustal Models in northern
Tasmania
from inversion of wide-angle seismic data. Mid-Cretaceous to Recent Plate
Boundary Processes in the Southwest Pacific, Arthur's Pass. Geological
Society of
America Abstract Volume.
Rawlinson, N., Semenova, T.O., Houseman, G.A.,
Collins, C.D.N. & Drummond, B.J., 1999. Crustal models of Northern
Tasmania from wide-angle seismic data. Last conference of the Millenium,
Halls Gap. Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 53,
208-210.
Rawlinson, N., Semenova, T.0., Collins, C.D.N.,
Houseman, G.A. & Drummond, B.J., 1998. Crustal Structure in northern
and eastern Tasmania from seismic refraction data. 8th International
Symposium
on Deep Seismic Profiling of the Continents and their Margins, Barcelona,
Abstracts, 68.
Rawlinson, N., Houseman, G.A., Semenova, T.O.
& Collins, C.D.N., 1998. Crustal structure beneath northern Tasmania
from wide-angle seismic data. 12th Victorian Universities Geosciences
Conference,
La Trobe University. Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 52,
33.
Rawlinson, N., Semenova, T.O., Collins, C.D.N.
& Houseman, G.A., 1998. Crustal structure beneath the north and east
coasts of Tasmania from seismic refraction data. 14th Australian Geological
Convention, Townsville. Geological Society of Australia, Abstracts 49,
372.
Collins, C.D.N., Drummond, B.J., Korsch, R.J.,
Barton, T.J. & Rawlinson, N., 1998. Crustal Architecture of Tasmania
from Onshore/OffshoreSeismic Profiling. Mineral systems and the crust-upper
mantle of southeast Australia, Australian Geological Survey Organisation,
Record 1998/2, 40-43.
Rawlinson, N., Collins, C.D.N., Semenova, T.O.,
& Houseman, G.A., 1998. Crustal architecture from seismic refraction
data along the north and east coasts of Tasmania. Mineral systems and the
crust-upper mantle of southeast Australia, Australian Geological Survey
Organisation, Record 1998/2, 155-158.
Rawlinson, N., Semenova, T.O., Houseman, G.A.
& Collins, C.D.N., 1997. Preliminary Results from the 1995 Seismic
Refraction Survey ofTasmania. Geophysics Down Under, Newsletter of the
Specialist Group on Solid Earth Geophysics (G.S.A)., No.24,
62-63.
AGU 2012 poster
