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Dr Morteza Fattahi

• Academic Profile
• Current Research
• Publications

Academic Profile

Dr Morteza Fattahi obtained his BSc in Physics (1987) and MSc in Geophysics (1993) from Tehran University, where he remained within the Faculty of Science, before joining the Institute of Geophysics in 1996. He obtained his D.Phil. in Luminescence dating (2001) from Jesus College, University of Oxford. His recent work has focused on red thermoluminescence of quartz and red emission infrared stimulated of feldspar as a means of extending the age range and applicability of luminescence dating techniques. He has recently started luminescence dating of past earthquakes in north-east Iran to investigate the slip rate and average intervals between earthquakes, on northeastern Iran faults, with the collaboration of Comet in UK and Geological survey of Iran. Some pictures of Sabzevar Fault:

He has also started working in close co-operation with Iranian archeologist on different projects (e.g. Salt Man; Dashte ghazvin).

Current Research

Determining the rating of active faulting in Iran using a novel OSL approach.

Selected Publications

• Fattahi, M., Walker, R.T., Talebian, M., Sloan, R.A. and Rasheedi, A. (2011) The structure and late Quaternary slip rate of the Rafsanjan strike-slip fault, SE Iran. Geosphere, 7: 1159-1174.
• Le Dortz, K., Meyer, B., Sébrier, M., Braucher, R., Nazari, H., Benedetti, L., Fattahi, M., Bourlès, D., Foroutan, M., Siame, L., Rashidi, A. and Bateman, M.D. (2011) Dating inset terraces and offset fans along the Dehshir Fault (Iran) combining cosmogenic and OSL methods. Geophysical Journal International, 185(3): 1147-1174.
• Quigley, M., Fattahi, M., Sohbati, R. and Schmidt, A. (2011) Palaeoseismicity and pottery: Investigating earthquake and archaeological chronologies on the Hajiarab alluvial fan, Iran. Quaternary International, 242: 185-195.
• Schmidt, A., Quigley, M., Fattahi, M., Azizi, G., Maghsoudi, M. and Fazeli, H. (2011) Holocene settlement shifts and palaeoenvironments on the Central Iranian Plateau: investigating linked systems. The Holocene, 21(4): 583-595.
• Walker, R.T. and Fattahi, M. (2011) A framework of Holocene and Late Pleistocene environmental change in eastern Iran inferred from the dating of periods of alluvial fan abandonment, river terracing, and lake deposition. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30: 1256-1271.
• Hollingsworth, J., Fattahi, M., Walker, R., Talebian, M., Bahroudi, A., Bolourchi, M.J., Jackson, J. and Copley, A. (2010) Oroclinal bending, distributed thrust and strike-slip faulting, and the accommodation of Arabia-Eurasia convergence in NE Iran since the Oligocene. Geophysical Journal International, 181(3): 1214-1246.
• Rezapour, N., Fattahi, M. and Bidokhti, A.A. (2010) Possible soil thermal response to seismic activities in Alborz region (Iran). Natural Hazards and Earth System Sciences, 10: 459-464.
• Walker, R.T., Talebian, M., Sloan, R.A., Rasheedi, A., Fattahi M. and Bryant C. (2010) Holocene slip-rate on the Gowk strike-slip fault and implications for the distribution of tectonic strain in eastern Iran. Geophysical Journal International, 181(1): 221-228.
• Nazari, H., Fattahi, M., Meyer, B., Sébrier, M., Talebian, M., Foroutan, M., Le Dortz, K., Bateman, M.D. and Ghorashi, M. (2009) First evidence for large earthquakes on the Deshir Fault, Central Iran Plateau. Terra Nova, 21(6): 417-426.
• Nissen, E., Walker, R., Molor, E., Fattahi, M. and Bayasgala, A. (2009) Late Quaternary rates of uplift and shortening at Baatar Hyarhan (Mongolian Altai) with optically stimulated luminescence. Geophysical Journal International, 177: 259-278.
• Le Dortz, K., Meyer, B., Sébrier, M., Nazari, H., Braucher, R., Fattahi, M., Benedetti, L., Foroutan, M., Siame, L., Bourlés, D., Talebian, M., Bateman, M.D. and Ghoraishi, M. (2009) Holocene right-slip rate determined by cosmogenic and OSL dating on the Anar fault, Central Iran. Geophysical Journal International, 179(2): 700-710.
• Fattahi, M. (2009) Dating past earthquakes and related sediments by thermoluminescence methods: A review. Quaternary International, 199(1-2): 104-146.
• Fattahi, M., Nazari, H., Bateman, M.D., Meyere, B., Sébrier, M., Talebian, M., Le Dortz, K., Foroutan, M., Ahmadi Givi, F. and Ghorashi, M. (2009) Refining the OSL age of the last earthquake on the Dheshir fault, Central Iran. Quaternary Geochronology, 5(2-3): 286-292.
• Nissen, E., Walker, R.T., Bayasgalan, A., Carter, A., Fattahi, M., Molor, E., Schnabel, C., West, A.J., and Xu, S. (2009) The late Quaternary slip-rate of the Har-Us-Nuur fault (Mongolian Altai) from cosmogenic 10Be and luminescence dating. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 286: 467-478.
• Fattahi, M. (2009) The effect of thermal stimulation on the far-red and orange red IRSL signal of a French-rich feldspar: Preliminary results. Geochronometria, 34: 15-24.
• Namvar, E. and Fattahi, M. (2008) Interference effects on the photoluminescence spectrum of GaN / In_xGa_1-xN single quantum well structures. Journal of Luminescence, 128: 155-160.
• Fattahi, M., and Walker, R. (2007) Luminescence dating of the last earthquake of the Sabzevar thrust fault, NE Iran. Quaternary Geochronology, 2: 284-28.
• Fattahi, M., Walker, R., Khatib, M.M., Dolati, A. and Bahroudi, J. (2006) Slip-rate estimates and past earthquakes on the Doruneh fault, eastern Iran. Geophysical Journal International, 168: 691-709.
• Fattahi, M., Walker, R., Hollingsworth, J., Bahroudi, A., Talebian, M., Armitage, S. and Stokes, S. (2006) Holocene slip-rate on the Sabzevar thrust fault, NE Iran, determined using Optically-stimulated Luminescence (OSL). Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 245: 673-684.
• Fattahi, M., Singarayer J.S., Bailey R.M. and Stokes S. (2006) The linearly modulated IRSL red emission from feldspars. Geochronometria, 25: 19-28.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes, S. (2005) Dating unheated quartz using a single-aliquot regenerative-dose red thermoluminescence protocol. Journal of Luminescence, 115: 19-31.
• Nokandeh, J., Eberhard, W.S., Omrani Rekavandi, H., Wilkinson, T., Abbasi, G., Schwenninger, J., Mahmoudi, M., Parker, D., Fattahi, M., Usher-Wilson, L., Ershadi, M., Ratcliffe, J. and Gale, R. (2006) Linear Barriers of Northern Iran: The Great Wall of Gorgan and the Wall of Tammishe, Iran (in press).
• Fattahi, M., Stokes, S. and Lamothe, M. (2004) Red luminescence emission from potassium feldspars stimulated by infrared. Ancient TL, 22(2): 35-44.
  • Download [PDF: www.aber.ac.uk]
• Fattahi, M. (2004) The dependence of orange-red IRSL decay curves of potassium feldspar on sample temperature. Radiation Measurements, 38(3): 287-298.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes, S. (2004) Absorbed dose evaluation in feldspar using a single-aliquot regenerative-dose (SAR) infrared-stimulated red luminescence protocol. Radiation Measurements, 38(1): 127-134.
• Fattahi, M. (2003) Recent developments in Luminescence dating. Iranian Int. J. Sci., 4(1): 57-72.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes, S. (2003a) Dating volcanic and related sediments by luminescence methods: a review. Earth Science Reviews. 62(3-4): 229-264.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes S. (2003b) Photomultiplier and filter combinations for the detection of relatively long wavelength (>600nm) luminescence emissions from feldspar. Ancient TL, 21(1): 25-34.
  • Download [PDF: www.aber.ac.uk]
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes S. (2003c) Red luminescence from potassium feldspar for dating applications: a study of some properties relevant for dating. Radiation Measurements, 37(6): 647-660.
• Arnold, L., Stokes, S., Bailey, R., Fattahi, M., Colls, A. and Tucker, G. (2003) Optical dating of potassium feldspar using far-red (>665 nm) IRSL emissions: a comparative study using fluvial sediments from the Loire River, France. Quaternary Science Reviews, 22(10-13): 1093-1098.
• Lai, Z.P., Stokes, S., Bailey, R., Fattahi, M. and Arnold, L. (2003) Infrared stimulated red luminescence from Chinese loess: basic observations. Quaternary Science Reviews, 22(10-13): 961-966.
• Lai, Z.P., Stokes, S., Bailey, R. and Fattahi, M. (2003) Detection of far-red IRSL from loess. Ancient TL, 20(2): 41-46.
• Stokes, S. and Fattahi, M. (2003) Red emission luminescence from quartz and feldspar for dating applications: an overview. Radiation Measurements, 37(4-5): 383-395.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes S. (2001) Luminescence dating of Quaternary volcanic events. A review of previous investigations and some observations on the potential of red luminescence emissions. School of Geography and the Environment Research Papers, 58, 1-72.
• Fattahi, M. (2001) Studies on red thermoluminescence and infrared stimulated red luminescence. D.Phil. thesis, Oxford University, Oxford.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes S. (2000) Extending the time range of luminescence dating using red TL (RTL) from volcanic quartz. Radiation Measurements, 32(5-6): 479-485.
• Fattahi, M. and Stokes S. (2000) Red thermoluminescence (RTL) in volcanic quartz: development of a high sensitive detection system and some preliminary findings. Ancient TL, 18(2), 35-44.
  • Download [PDF: www.aber.ac.uk]
• Stokes, S., Colls, A.E.L., Fattahi, M., and Rich, J. (2000) Investigations of the performance of quartz single aliquot DE determination procedures. Radiation Measurements, 32(5-6): 585-594.