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Louise Riou

M.Sc. Candidate
Earth Sciences

Areas of interest

Paleoearthquakes & tsunami

Biography

Reconstructing relative sea level in coastal environments on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada

Vancouver Island and the greater area are located on the Cascadia subduction zone, which are prone to earthquakes (M > 8) followed by tsunamis. Natural hazards pose a big threat to British Columbia’s coastal populations. My research consists of studying past tsunami deposits to reconstruct a history of land-level change on Vancouver Island. I am using micropaleontological, sedimentological and geochemical techniques as proxy for relative sea level change. My research will provide insight on future tsunami strength and frequency to better assess coastal vulnerability.