Raúl Daniel Corona-Fernández

🌍 Ph.D. in Earth Sciences specializing in earthquake seismology, seismic source parameters, historical earthquake reanalysis, and seismic wave simulation. 📊 My research is grounded in extensive experience with seismic data processing and large-scale database analysis. 💻 Beyond my core research, I possess strong technical skills in scientific programming, software development, and quality control. 📡 I am well-versed in seismic monitoring networks and the probabilistic assessment of seismic hazards. 🤝 As a collaborative team member, I am deeply passionate about geoscience education and effective science communication.

💻 Seismologist-Developer

Feb 2023 - Jun 2023 · National Seismological Service (SSN)

• Modernized and updated seismic source analysis software across multiple programming languages (Python, Fortran, Perl, Bash, C-Shell).
• Automated rapid analysis processes for seismic sources triggered by significant earthquake events.
• Managed real-time seismic databases on UNIX servers using SeisComP.

🤝 External Seismology Consultant

Jan 2022 - Sep 2024 · Grupo SELOME / Secretariat of Infrastructure, Communications and Transportation (SICT)

• Led the Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) study for Mexico’s Federal Highway Network.
• Identified critical regions of current and future seismic risk for strategic transportation infrastructure.
• Performed complex database management and integration using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

🔬 Researcher & Ph.D. Candidate

Jan 2018 - Apr 2023 · Institute of Geophysics, UNAM

• Reanalyzed large historical Mexican earthquakes using legacy seismic data and novel computational methodologies.
• Applied Machine Learning (ML) techniques for the digital processing of analog seismograms.
• Developed and managed waveform databases to study repeating large-magnitude earthquakes (M≥7.0) along the Mexican Subduction Zone.
• Processed seismic time series to calculate dynamic deformations in the Zihuatanejo, Guerrero region.
• Installed and maintained a semi-permanent network of Trillium 120 Posthole seismic stations at Zihuatanejo Airport.
• Simulated seismic wave propagation in metamaterials using the Discrete Wave Number (DWN) method in collaboration with the University of Texas.
• Co-advised undergraduate and master’s degree students and delivered Earth Science lectures.

🎓 Internship Trainee

Jan 2013 - Dec 2013 · Institute of Geophysics, UNAM

• Participated in Research and Development (R&D) projects, enhancing core geophysical research and analytical skills.
• Conducted geophysical surveys and fieldwork operations for data collection.
• Performed seismic data processing and analysis within a collaborative teamwork environment.

Professor (Lecturer)

2019 - 2022 · National School of Earth Sciences & Faculty of Sciences, UNAM

• 🧭 Applied Geophysics II (National School of Earth Sciences, 2022)
• 💻 Earth Science Programming I & II (Faculty of Sciences, 2021-2022)
• 🌍 Geodynamics (National School of Earth Sciences, 2022)
• 📊 Computational Analysis of Geophysical Data (Faculty of Sciences, 2019)

Teaching Assistant

2018 · ENES Morelia, UNAM

• 📉 Analysis and Processing of Time Series

Ph.D. in Earth Sciences

May 2023 · Institute of Geophysics, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

Thesis: Large Mexican earthquakes reanalysis from the first half of the 20th century, based on legacy seismic data and using novel analysis methodologies. (Supervisor: Dr. Miguel A. Santoyo)

M.Sc. in Earth Sciences

Jan 2018 · National School of Higher Education (ENES) Morelia, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

Thesis: Finite source study of the Acambay earthquake on November 19, 1912, based on historical records. (Supervisor: Dr. Miguel A. Santoyo)

B.Sc. in Geophysical Engineering

Nov 2014 · Faculty of Engineering, National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

Thesis: 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography for the HAWC project. (Supervisor: M.Sc. Gerardo Cifuentes Nava)

Journal Articles

Singh, S.K., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., and Iglesias, A., Repeating Large Earthquakes along the Mexican Subduction Zone, Seismological Research Letters, 2023

Mark, H., Ragon, T., Funning, G., Hicks, S.P., Rowe, C., Teplitzky, S., Convers, J., Karasözen, E., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., & Fagereng, Å., Editorial workflow of a community-led, all-volunteer scientific journal: lessons from the launch of Seismica, Seismica, 2(2), 2023

Singh, S.K., Iglesias, A., Arroyo, D., Pérez-Campos, X., Mendoza, C., Corona-Fernández, R.D., Rivera, L., Espíndola, V.H., González-Ávila, D., Martínez-López, R., Castro-Artola, O., Santoyo, M.A., and Franco, S.I., A Seismological Study of the Michoacán-Colima, Mexico, Earthquake of 19 September 2022 (Mw7.6), Geofísica Internacional 62-2: 445-465, 2023

Husker, A., Werner, M.J., Bayona, J.A., Santoyo, M., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., A Test of the Earthquake Gap Hypothesis in Mexico: the case of the Guerrero Gap, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 2022

Iglesias, A., Singh, S.K., Castro-Artola, O., Pérez-Campos, X., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., Espíndola, V.H., Arroyo, D., Franco, S.I., A Source Study of the Mw 7.0 Acapulco, Mexico, Earthquake of 8 September 2021, Seismological Research Letters, 2022

Corona-Fernandez, R.D. & Santoyo, M.A., Re-examination of the 1928 Parral, Mexico earthquake (M6.3) using a new multiplatform graphical vectorization and correction software for legacy seismic data, Geoscience Data Journal, 00, 1-15, 2022

Sawires, R., Santoyo, M.A., Peláez, J.A., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., An updated and unified earthquake catalog from 1787 to 2018 for seismic hazard assessment studies in Mexico, Scientific Data 6, 241, 2019

Other Publications

Aguilar-Velázquez, M.J., Corona-Fernández, R.D., Rodríguez-Domínguez, M.Á., Is September really “earthquake month” in Mexico?, Temblor, 2022

Corona-Fernandez, R.D. & Santoyo, M.A., TIITBA - a graphical interface for historical seismograms, vectorization, analysis, and correction, Zenodo repository, 2022

Proceedings

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Singh, S.K., Santoyo, M.A., Iglesias, A., A focal mechanism analysis for the 1928 Parral (M=6.3) and Oaxaca (M=7.5) earthquake sequence, Mexico, based on analog smoked paper seismograms, LACSC-2022, Quito, Ecuador, 2022

Corona-Fernandez, R.D. (Speaker), Old data for new knowledge: The use of analog seismograms to re-analyze large earthquakes in Mexico during the first half of the 20th century, Institutional Seminar, Geosciences Center (CEGEO), UNAM, 2022

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Singh, S.K., Santoyo, M.A., Is the Acapulco earthquake of 8 September 2021 (Mw 7.0) a repeat of the 11 May 1962 earthquake?, UGM Annual Meeting, Mexico, 2021

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., The 1928 Oaxaca, Mexico large-earthquakes sequence (M6.5-M7.8): preliminary results from the re-analysis of legacy seismograms and seismic bulletins information, 37th General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission, Athens, 2021

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., TIITBA a GUI for digital historical seismograms vectorization, analysis, and corrections: Case study of the 11/1/1928 (M6.3) Parral, Mexico earthquake, Joint Scientific Assembly IAGA-IASPEI, India, 2021

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., TIITBA: A GUI for historical seismograms vectorization, analysis, and correction, UGM Virtual Annual Meeting, Mexico, 2020

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., Re-analysis of large historical earthquakes: relocation of the 1928 seismic sequence in Oaxaca, Mexico, UGM Virtual Annual Meeting, Mexico, 2020

Santoyo, M.A., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Miyazawa, M., Castro Artola, O.A., A broadband seismological observation network for surface dynamic deformations, northwest of the Guerrero seismic gap: new results, UGM Annual Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2019

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., TLALOC: A computer interface for analog seismograms analysis, digitization, and correction, IUGG General Assembly, Montreal, Canada, 2019

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., GUI for historical seismograms digitization and correction, UGM Annual Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2018

Santoyo, M.A., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Castro Artola, O.A., Seismological network for the observation of dynamic rotations and deformations by earthquakes in the Mexican subduction zone: preliminary results, UGM Annual Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2018

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., Finite source study of the Acambay earthquake on November 19, 1912, based on historical records, UGM Annual Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2017

Santoyo, M.A., Kostoglodov, V., Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Stress transfer in the 3D Mexican subduction zone due to slip events, UGM Annual Meeting, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 2017

Corona-Fernandez, R.D., Santoyo, M.A., Analysis of the analog seismograms recorded during November 19, 1912 (m~7.0) Acambay, central Mexico earthquake: towards a finite source inversion, IAGA-IASPEI, Kobe, Japan, 2017

🖥️ TIITBA-GUI (Historical Seismograms Vectorization UI)

Creator and lead developer of Tiitba, an open-source, multi-platform Python UI designed to vectorize, analyze, and correct analog seismograms of historical earthquakes. It integrates Genetic Algorithms for focal mechanism determination.

🌐 TIITBA-Web (Legacy Seismogram Vectorizaction Web-Tool)

Web-based version of the TIITBA project, facilitating the digitization and analysis of historical seismic records through a browser interface, enhancing accessibility for the international seismology community.

📈 Repeating Large Earthquakes (M≥7.0) along the Mexican Subduction Zone

Extensive research project comparing waveforms of historical and recent Mexican earthquakes to establish repetition patterns, estimate return periods, and evaluate the Earthquake Gap Hypothesis.

🛣️ Seismic Hazard Assessment for the Federal Highway Network

Consulting project conducting a Probabilistic Assessment of Seismic Hazard (PSHA) to identify current and future regions of greatest danger for Mexico’s strategic transportation infrastructure.

🌊 Wave Propagation Modeling in Metamaterials

Collaborative project between UNAM Institute of Engineering and the University of Texas to study seismic wave propagation in metamaterials, aiming to create frequency gaps for advanced seismic engineering.

📡 Dynamic Deformations & Seismic Network Installation (CONACYT)

Participated in project PN-15-639, focusing on calculating dynamic deformations. Included the physical installation and maintenance of a semi-permanent network of Trillium 120 Posthole seismic stations in Zihuatanejo, Guerrero.

Advanced Scientific Programming in Python (ASPP) LATAM Workshop

Summer 2023 · ASPP Faculty (International Academic & Industry experts)

• Intensive training in advanced programming techniques and industry-standard best practices specifically tailored for research scientists.

SpecFem 2D/3D Modeling Workshop

Oct 2022 · University of Alaska, Toronto, and South Florida Experts

• Technical workshop focused on seismic wave propagation modeling and analysis using the SPECFEM software package.

Moment Tensor Uncertainty Quantification (MTUQ) Workshop

Apr 2022 · University of Alaska, Toronto, and South Florida Experts

• In-depth training on MTUQ inversion code for analyzing earthquake seismograms and determining seismic source parameters.

Academic Writing & Publishing in English

Sep 2020 · National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM)

• Two-week intensive course on scientific manuscript preparation, international journal conventions, and citation styles.

Remote Online Sessions for Emerging Seismologists (ROSES)

Summer 2020 · AGU Seismology Section Summer School

• 11-week comprehensive workshop focused on seismic processing, modeling, and interpretation using Python.

Scientific Python 3 Workshop

Summer 2018 · Scientific Data Processing Program

• Specialized training in scientific data processing and advanced graphical representation using Python 3.

Seismic Data Analysis & SEISAN Course

Jan 2015 · National Seismological Service (SSN), Mexico

• Professional certification in hypocentral localization, focal mechanism determination, and magnitude calculation using SEISAN.

• Music Enthusiast: From Rock and Metal to Classical and Celtic rhythms 🎧
• Fantasy & Fiction: Deeply passionate about LOTR 💍, Star Wars 🌌, and epic sagas
• Geek Culture: Proud TMNT fan 🐢 and lifelong learner of new Python developments 💻
• Sports & Fitness: Supporting Pumas MX ⚽ and the Pittsburgh Steelers 🏈, plus regular exercise and cycling 🏋🏽‍♂️🚴🏽‍♂️
• Daily Essentials: Good books 📖 and high-quality coffee ☕