Overview

Developing Community Earth Models (CEMs) is a major activity of the Statewide California Earthquake Center (SCEC). With SCEC’s statewide expansion, there is an urgent need to broaden the geographic scope of these models. Among the CEM components, the Geological Framework Model (GFM) and Community Thermal Model (CTM) are foundational products that support other models, such as the Community Rheology Model (CRM), and provide a critical framework for interpreting velocity, geodetic, and stress data. To advance these efforts, a joint GFM-CTM workshop was held at UC Davis that brought together 35 researchers to identify key datasets and organize volunteers to update and extend these models across California. GFM discussions focused on (1) extending existing lithotectonic provinces and defining new ones for Northern California, (2) incorporating major three-dimensional features such as dipping boundaries, deep sedimentary basins, and sub-province crustal variations, and (3) developing upper mantle models consistent with tomographic and thermal constraints. Contributions were solicited from allied efforts at USGS and CGS. CTM discussions highlighted decades of progress in thermal modeling, assessed observational constraints and modeling techniques, and examined existing models for their relevance to evaluating seismicity and related applications. Participants reviewed the current state of CTMs, explored options for accessing existing models, and generated new ideas for future updates. Feedback also addressed the role of CTMs within the broader SCEC Community Earth Model (CEM) framework.