Special Issue on Advancing Physics-Based Ground-Motion Simulations for Seismic Hazard Applications
Catalyzed by the successful SSA conference “Future Directions: Physics-based ground-motion modeling” held in Vancouver (10-13 October 2023), the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America (BSSA) is soliciting papers for a special issue on Advancing Physics-Based Ground-Motion Simulations for Seismic Hazard Applications.
Physics-based numerical simulations of earthquake ground motion have emerged as a promising tool to address critical knowledge gaps in seismology due to sparse observational data and to improve estimates of seismic hazard and risk. These challenges can hinder the development of well-constrained ground-motion models, particularly for near-source regions of large earthquakes or areas with complex geological characteristics.
Empirical- and simulation-based methods have begun to converge to address these challenges. Traditional empirical methods, which have historically grouped data from similar tectonic regions (“ergodic models”), increasingly recognize region-specific and spatially varying ground-motion effects (“non-ergodic models”). Meanwhile, physics-based simulations, once limited to individual regions, faults or specific events, are now expanding to encompass broader areas and previously underexplored phenomena. Ground motions from physics-based simulations have achieved a level of accuracy that is sufficient for consideration in hazard and risk assessments.
This special issue will spotlight innovative advancements, emerging technologies and diverse perspectives in the development and application of physics-based ground-motion models in the field of seismic hazard and risk assessment.
BSSA welcomes submissions on a broad range of topics related to ground-motion modeling and simulations, including integration of simulation data, validation and uncertainty quantification, case studies and applications, advances in scientific and computational approaches in ground-motion-simulations, and data set construction, management and accessibility. Submissions that foster dialogue on maximizing the potential of physics-based ground motion simulations for seismic hazard and risk assessment are encouraged.
Guest Editors for this Special Issue:
- Aybige Akinci, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (aybige.akinci@ingv.it)
- Aysegul Askan, Middle East Technical University (aaskan@metu.edu.tr)
- Hiroe Miyake, University of Tokyo (hiroe@eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp)
- Morgan Moschetti, U.S. Geological Survey (mmoschetti@usgs.gov)
- Robin Lee, University of Canterbury (robin.lee@canterbury.ac.nz)
- Chiara Smerzini, Politecnico di Milano (chiara.smerzini@polimi.it)
Extended Deadline for Submission: 1 December 2025
Articles accepted to this BSSA Special Issue will be published online soon after acceptance and collectively in print in the August 2026 issue. Papers will be reviewed as they are received and published online prior to the print issue.
In preparing manuscripts, authors must follow the BSSA author guidelines at https://www.seismosoc.org/publications/bssa-submission-guidelines-2/.
Papers must be submitted via the BSSA online submission system (www.editorialmanager.com/bssa) under the category “Advancing Physics-Based Ground-Motion Simulations for Seismic Hazard Applications.”
Please address questions about scientific issues to the guest editors or BSSA Editor-in-Chief P. Martin Mai at bssaeditor@seismosoc.org. Submission-related questions should be addressed to the BSSA Editorial Office at bssamss@seismosoc.org.