A New Method for Determining First-Motion Focal Mechanisms The Static Stress Change Triggering Model: Constraints from Two Southern California Aftershock Sequences James B Macelwane Medal, 2007 Jeanne L. Hardebeck is an American research geophysicist studying earthquakes and seismology who has worked at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) since 2004.

[1] Her research is noted for the clarity it provides on issues such as the strength of faults and the state of stress that were previously clouded by assumptions and unreliable data.

[2][5][6] Hardebeck has collaborated with other experts in her field to publish research articles which, since September 2020, have been cited over 5,000 times on Google Scholar.

[8] Using this information, Hardebeck looked back upon the opening stages of the Tasman Sea and described the dispersal of its tectonic elements at the time.

[8] Another of her highly cited papers, titled "A New Method for Determining First-Motion Focal Mechanisms," introduced a method that takes into consideration potential mistakes in the assumed earthquake location and seismic-velocity model when determining earthquake focal mechanisms.