Hi there! My name is Konstantinos, and I am originally from Thessaloniki, Greece. I am an observational seismologist at the Australian National University, where I study earthquakes and the forces that shape the Earth’s crust. My work involves:

  • Analyzing "wiggles" (seismic waves produced by earthquakes and other sources),
  • Building detailed earthquake catalogs to track seismic activity over time,
  • Using imaging techniques, like taking an X-ray of the Earth, to reveal hidden underground structures.

By combining earthquake data with insights from other scientific fields, I aim to improve our understanding of how these processes shape our planet. I’m also passionate about open-access science and cross-disciplinary collaborations.

Research projects

Epicenters of earthquakes located using a low-cost seismic network in Nepal.

Earthquake Monitoring with a Low-Cost Seismic Networks in Nepal

In this work, led by Dr. Subedi, we investigate the performance of low-cost seismic networks for earthquake monitoring in Nepal (Subedi et al. 2024).

  • One year of seismic data from an educational network,
  • 273 earthquakes detected, including events missing from national catalogs,
  • Microseismic detection capability down to magnitudes of ~0.8.

This work supports broader efforts to build earthquake resilience in Nepal, as highlighted in a France 24 article revisiting the devastating effects of the 2015 M7.8 Gorkha earthquake.

Intermediate-depth earthquakes beneath central Himalayas.

Intermediate-Depth Earthquakes Beneath the Himalayas

We examine the intermediate-depth seismicity, taking place beneath the central part of the Himalayan orogen (Michailos et al. 2021).

  • Machine-learning based detection methods for earthquake analysis,
  • Regional seismic data from the Himalayan region,
  • Seismogenic insights from clustered events: eclogitization reactions and/or westward-propagating dextral deformation.

View scripts on GitHub

Crustal thermal structure and exhumation in the central Southern Alps

We model crustal dynamics in New Zealand's Southern Alps (Michailos et al. 2020b).

  • Integrated analysis combining seismicity and thermochronology to model crustal thermal structure,
  • Spatially variable exhumation rates (1–8 mm/yr) along the Alpine Fault, aligning with geological/geodetic studies,
  • Elevated seismicity cutoff temperatures (410–430°C) suggesting fluid pressure/strain rate effects,

View scripts on GitHub

Earthquake distribution with thermal isotherms and exhumation rates.
Focal mechanisms near the central Alpine Fault.

Microseismicity and tectonic stress near the central Alpine Fault

We compile a catalog of 7,719 earthquakes near the central Alpine Fault using data from five seismic networks and GeoNet stations (Michailos et al. 2019).

  • Shallow seismogenic cutoffs (<8 km) near Aoraki/Mount Cook,
  • A seismic gap in Whataroa potentially linked to hydrothermal activity.

Next, we analyze 845 focal mechanisms (spanning ~10 years) to determine stress near the Alpine Fault (Michailos et al. 2020a; NZ Herald article).

  • Dominant strike-slip faulting with uniform stress orientations (mean 121° ±11°),
  • Remarkably consistent stress orientations over time.

Publications

Also on Google Scholar.

Peer-reviewed publications

Non Peer-Reviewed Publications

Open Access Seismological Databases

Click here to expand the list.

Fieldwork

My work mainly involves staring at computer screens, but I've also been fortunate enough to do fieldwork in different parts of the world.

"Eyre Peninsula, South Australia, AU"
"Nodal deployment in Jura, CH"
"Seismic node deployment, Roccastrada, Tuscany, IT"
"Gravity data survey, Ivrea Geophysical body, Alps, IT"
"Godley Valley, Southern Alps, NZ"
"Seismometer at De la Beche, Southern Alps, NZ"
"Kea spotted at Dusky Sound, NZ"
"Digging out a seismometer in the Southern Alps, NZ"
"Sea lions on Snares Island, NZ"
"Clear skies... on the West Coast of the South Island, NZ"
"Ocean Bottom Seismometers aboard RV Tangaroa"
"Yellow-eyed penguins sighted on Snares Island, NZ"

Recent News

Media Release: Seasonal snowmelt and rainfall trigger microearthquakes in New Zealand’s Southern Alps

Date: August 2025

Our latest G-cubed publication was featured in an ANU media release. The study highlights the influence of climate and hydrological processes on seismic activity in alpine regions.

Read the media release

Passive seismic deployment plans in central Southern Alps/Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, New Zealand

Date: July 2025

Fieldwork preparation is underway to deploy nine seismometers as part of our ongoing trans-Tasman collaboration, with colleagues in New Zealand.

Click here for more info on the deployment

Anydros earthquake swarm, Santorini, Greece

Date: June 2025

The region northeast of Santorini, near the islet of Anydros, has recently experienced heightened levels of seismic activity, beginning in early February 2025. For detailed information on the ongoing activity and to explore seismic maps and data, click the link below.

Explore Santorini Earthquake Data

Click here to see older posts.

EGU 2023 Conference Presentation

Date: April 2023

Presented a poster at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2023 in Vienna, the following abstract: "Moho map and receiver functions database beneath the European Alps using data from recent large-scale passive experiments".

View EGU 2023 Presentation

EGU 2022 Conference Presentation

Date: March 2022

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2022 online abstract: "Moho depths beneath the European Alps from receiver functions of the AlpArray Seismic Network".

View EGU 2022 Presentation

EGU 2021 Conference Presentation

Date: April 2021

European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly 2021 online abstract: "Spatiotemporal evolution of deep seismicity beneath the central Himalayas".

View EGU 2021 Presentation

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