Personal Webpage of Khalil Motaghi

This is Personal Webpage of Dr. Khalil Motaghi

Positions:

Associate Professor of Seismology (2012 - current)

Head of Department of Earth Sciences (2024 - current)

Associate Editor of Pure and Applied Geophysics (2024 - current)

 Photo of Seyed Khalil Motaghi

Khalil Motaghi in 2026

Contact information:

Office No. A009, Department of Earth Sciences,

Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS)

No. 444, Yousef Sobouti Blvd.(Gava Zang St.)

P. O. Box 45195-1159 Zanjan Iran

Postal Code 45137-66731

Tel: (+98) 24 3315 3782

E-mail: khalil1024@yahoo.com

E-mail: kmotaghi@iasbs.ac.ir

Education:

Ph.D. in Seismology (2007 - 2012), International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology (IIEES), Tehran, Iran

M.Sc. in Geophysics (2005 - 2007), Institute for Advanced Studies in Basic Sciences (IASBS), Zanjan, Iran

B.Sc. in Physics (2000 - 2004), Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Research Interests:

My research focuses on understanding the mechanisms of crustal and lithospheric deformation in the Zagros continental collision zone. I investigate how tectonic convergence is accommodated at different scales and am extending this line of inquiry to the Makran subduction zone. To address these questions, I apply a multidisciplinary geophysical toolkit, including:

1. Receiver function analysis: Migration and forward modeling of P- and S-wave receiver functions to image crustal and upper mantle discontinuities.

2. Surface wave tomography: Ambient noise and earthquake-based imaging of lithospheric and asthenospheric shear-wave velocity structures.

3. Teleseismic tomography: Travel-time inversion of distant earthquakes to resolve 3D variations in seismic velocity beneath Iran and surrounding regions.

4. Gravity modeling: Interpretation of Bouguer gravity anomalies to constrain crustal thickness, density variations, and deep lithospheric structure.

5. Seismic Attenuation Relations: Developing and analyzing region‑specific attenuation models for improved earthquake hazard assessment.

Publications:

A) In international refereed journals

  1. 1. Motaghi, K., Kaviani, A., Abdulnaby, W., Mahdi, H., & Al-Shukri, H. (2026). Seismic anisotropy under Zagros foreland from SKS splitting observations. Solid Earth, 17(1), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.5194/se-17-1-2026

  2. 2. Zarunizadeh, Z., Aoudia, A., Motaghi, K., Pachhai, S., Manu-Marfo, D., Yang, Y., ... & Chen, L. (2026). Imaging the northern Zagros collision zone by ambient noise and earthquake surface wave tomography. Tectonophysics, 231041. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2025.231041

  3. Ranjbar, M., Motaghi, K., & Dang, P. (2025). Calibration of path and site effects and simulation of megathrust earthquake scenarios in the Makran subduction zone using stochastic finite fault modeling. Natural Hazards, 1-31. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-025-07419-5

  4. Mehrdar, A., Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Sobouti, F., Priestley, K., Pachhai, S., Shabanian, E., Zarunizadeh, Z., Zeynaddini-Meymand, R., El-Hussain, I. (2024). Crustal and Uppermost Mantle Structure of the Iranian Makran Subduction Zone from Ambient Noise and Earthquake Surface Wave Tomography, Geophysical Journal International. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggae419

  5. Zarunizadeh, Z., Motaghi, K., Rahimi, H. (2024). Attenuation of High-Frequency Seismic Waves in NW Iran, Pure Appl. Geophys.,181, 1811-1829. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-024-03496-y

  6. Abbasi, S., Motaghi, K., Lucente, F. P., & Bianchi, I. (2024). Low-strength shear zone in the western Makran subduction zone, southeastern Iran: insights from a receiver function analysis, Geophysical Journal International, 237(1), 64-74. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggae035

  7. Zarunizadeh, Z., Motaghi, K., Movaghari, R., Yang, Y., & Priestley, K. (2024). Seismological constraints on the lithosphere-asthenosphere system beneath the central and east Iranian Plateau. Tectonophysics, 873, 230215.

  8. Veisi, M., Motaghi, K., & Schiffer, C. (2024). jrfapp: A Python package for joint inversion of apparent S-wave velocity and receiver function time series. Pure and Applied Geophysics, 181, 65-86. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00024-023-03413-9

  9. Aghdam, M.A., Ghods, A., Sobouti, F., Motaghi, K., Priestley, K., & Enayat, M. (2024). Seismicity around the boundary between eastern and western Makran. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences, 105926. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseaes.2023.105926

  10. Alipour, A., Motaghi, K., Mousavi, Z., Cheraghi, H., Saadat, S. A. (2023). Adopting normalized full gradient method for regional scale gravity modeling: A case study for NW Iran, Geophysical Prospecting, . https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2478.13433

  11. Jafari, M., Aflaki, M., Mousavi, Z., Walpersdorf, A., Motaghi, K. (2023). Coseismic and post-seismic characteristics of the 2021 Ganaveh earthquake along the Zagros foredeep fault based on InSAR data. Geophys. J. Int., 234(2), 1125-1142.

  12. Priestley, K., Sobouti, F., Mokhtarzadeh, R., A Irandoust, M., Ghods, R., Motaghi, K., Ho, T. (2022). New Constraints for the On‐Shore Makran Subduction Zone Crustal Structure. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 127(1), e2021JB022942.

  13. Arvin, S., Sobouti, F., Priestley, K., Ghods, A., Motaghi, K., Tilmann, F., Eken, T. (2021). Seismic anisotropy and mantle deformation in NW Iran inferred from splitting measurements of SK(K)S and direct S phases. Geophysical Journal International, 226(2), 1417-1431. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggab181

  14. Abdulnaby, W., Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Mahdi, H., Al-Shukri, H., Gök, R. (2020). Crustal structure of the Mesopotamian Plain, east of Iraq. Tectonics, 39, e2020TC006225. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020TC00622.

  15. Amiri, M., Mousavi, Z., Atzori, S., Khorrami, F., Aflaki, M., Tolomei, C., Motaghi, K., Salvi, S. (2020). Studying postseismic deformation of the 2010–2011 Rigan earthquake sequence in SW Iran using geodetic data. Tectonophysics, 228630.

  16. Maheri-Peyrov, M., Ghods, A., Donner, S., Akbarzadeh, M., Sobouti, F., Motaghi, K., Hasanzadeh, M., Mortezanejad, G., Talebian, M., Chen, L. (2020). Upper crustal structure of NW Iran revealed by 3D Pg velocity tomography. Geophys. J. Int., 222(2), 1093-1108.

  17. Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Nozad-Khalil, T., (2020). Deep structure of the western coast of the Makran subduction zone, SE Iran, Tectonophysics, 776, 228314.

  18. Dashti, F. Lucente, F.P., Motaghi, K., Bianchi, I., Najafi, M., Govoni, A., Shabanian, E. (2020). Crustal scale imaging of the Arabia – Central Iran collision boundary across the Zagros suture zone, west of Iran. Geophys. Res. Lett., 47(8). https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL085921

  19. Rahmani, M., Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Sobouti, F., Talebian, M., Ai, Y., Chen, L. (2019). Deep velocity image of the north Zagros collision zone (Iran) from regional and teleseismic tomography. Geophys. J. Int., 219(3), 1729-1740.

  20. Mahmoodabadi, M., Yaminifard, F., Tatar, M., Kaviani, A., Motaghi, K. (2019). Upper mantle velocity structure beneath the Zagros collision zone, Central Iran and Alborz from non-linear teleseismic tomography. Geophys. J. Int., 218(1), 414-428

  21. Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Sobouti, F., Shabanian, E., Mahmoudabadi, M., Priestley, K., (2018). Lithospheric seismic structure of the West Alborz - Talesh ranges, Iran, Geophys. J. Int., 215(3), 1766-1780.

  22. Vajedian, S., Motagh, M., Mousavi, Z., Motaghi, K., Fielding, E., Akbari, B., Wetzel, H.U., Darabi, A. (2018). Coseismic Deformation Field of the Mw 7.3 12 November 2017 Sarpol-e Zahab (Iran) Earthquake: A Decoupling Horizon in the Northern Zagros Mountains Inferred from InSAR Observations. Remote Sensing, 10(10), 1589.

  23. Rastgoo, M., Rahimi, H., Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Romanelli, F., Panza, G.F., (2018). Deep structure of the Alborz Mountains by joint inversion of P receiver functions and dispersion curves, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 277, 70-80.

  24. Sadeghi-Bagherabadi, A., Sobouti, F., Ghods, A., Motaghi, K., Talebian, M., Chen, L., Jiang, M., Ai, Y., He, Y., (2018). Upper Mantle Anisotropy and Deformation beneath the Major Thrust-and-Fold Belts of Zagros and Alborz and the Iranian Plateau, Geophys. J. Int., 214, 1913–1918.

  25. Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Kalvandi, F., (2017). Underplating along the northern portion of the Zagros suture zone, Iran. Geophys. J. Int. 210 (1), 375–389.

  26. Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Tatar, M., Cuffaro, M. & Doglioni, C., (2017). The south Zagros suture zone in teleseismic images, Tectonophysics, 694, 292–301.

  27. Bavali, K., Motaghi K., Sobouti, F., Ghods, A., Abbasi, M., Priestley, K., Mortezanejad, M., Rezaeian, M. (2016) Lithospheric Structure beneath NW Iran Using Regional and Teleseismic Travel-time Tomography, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 253, 97-107.

  28. Motaghi, K., Tatar, M., Priestley,  K., Romanelli, F.,  Doglioni, C., Panza, G.F. (2015) The deep structure of the Iranian Plateau, Gondwana Research, 28 (1), 407-418

  29. Motaghi, K., Tatar, M., Shomali, H., Kaviani, A.,  Priestley, K. (2012) High resolution image of upper mantle beneath NE Iran continental collision zone, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, Vol. 208–209, p. 38–49.

  30. Motaghi, K., Ghods, A. (2012) Attenuation of Ground Motion Spectral Amplitudes and its Variations across the Central Alborz Mountains, Bull. seism. Soc. Am, 102, No. 4, doi: 10.1785/0120100325.

  31. Motaghi, K., Tatar, M., Priestley, K. (2012) Crustal thickness variation across the northeast Iran continental collision zone from teleseismic converted waves, J. Seismology,16: 253-260. doi:10.1007/s10950-011-9267-2

  32. Motaghi, K., Hessami, K., Tatar, M. (2010) Pattern recognition of major asperities using local recurrence time in Alborz Mountains, northern Iran, J. Seismology, 14: 787-802. doi:10.1007/s10950-010-9201-z

  33. H. Rahimi, Motaghi, K., Mukhopadhyay, S., Hamzehloo, H. (2010) Variation of Coda Wave Attenuation in Alborz Region and Central Iran, Geophys. J. Int., 181: 1643–1654. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2010.04574.x

 B) In national refereed journals (in Persian with English abstract)

  1. Zeynoddini Meymand, R., Motaghi, K., Shabnian, E., (2023). Surface wave tomography of the Makran subduction zone, . Iranian Journal of Geophysics. doi: 10.30499/ijg.2023.395954.1515

  2. Alipour, A., Motaghi, K., Mousavi, Z. (2023). Normalized Full Gradient Study of Bouguer Gravity Anomaly Profile of NorthWestern Iran, Earth and Space Physics, 49(2), 407-421.

  3. Zarunizadeh, Z., Motaghi, K., & Movaghari, R. (2022). Investigation of shear wave velocity model beneath east of Iran from Rayleigh waves tomography. Iranian Journal of Geophysics, 16(3), 161-181.

  4. Ghorbanalizadeh, V., Motaghi, K., Sobouti, F. (2020). Lithospheric Structure of the NW Iran revealed by S Receiver Functions, Earth and Space Physics, in press.

  5. Andayeshgar, S.,Motaghi, K., Rezaeian, M. (2020). A new method for quality factor tomography: a case study in NW Iran, J. Res. Applied Geophysics, 6(1), 145-154.

  6. Jamalreyhani, M., Ghods, A., Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., Talebian, M., Chen, L. (2019) Seismicity in the Lurestan Arc of Zagros Simply Folded Belt, Geoscience, 113, 13-24..

  7. Ghaseminia, R., Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Talebian, M., Chen, L. (2018) Attenuation of Ground-Motion Spectral Amplitudes at short hypocentral distances, Iranian J. Geophysics, 12(3): 87-106.

  8. Amiri, M., Mousavi, Z., Motaghi, K. (2018) Studying post-seismic deformation 2010 MW 6.5 Rigan earthquake in the SW Iran using InSAR, Iranian J. Geophysics, 12(2), 96-108.

  9. Nozad Khalil, T., Motaghi, K., (2017) Geometry of deep velocity discontinuities in the coastal Makran using receiver functions, Iranian J. Geophysics, 11(3): 157-173.

  10. Zarunizadeh, Z., Motaghi, K., Rahimi, H., Ghods, A., (2017) Estimation of Coda wave attenuation in NW Iran, Iranian J. Geophysics, 11(1): 156-170.

  11. Feizaghaee, F., Motaghi, K., Tatar, M., Ghods, A., Moradi, A., (2017) 2D local earthquake tomography of P-wave velocity in the upper crust of NW Iran, Iranian J. Geophysics, 11(1): 33-48.

  12. Davodian, R, Motaghi, K., Sobouti, F., Rahimi, H., Ghods, A., (2017) Inversion of Rayleigh waves group velocity to shear wave velocity structure for the north-west of Iran, Journal of the Earth and Space Physics: 43(1), 1-13.

  13. Motaghi, K., Zarunizadeh, Z., Ghods, A., (2017) Attenuation of ground-motion spectral amplitudes in the NW Iran, Iranian J. Geophysics, 10(4): 128-141.

  14. Kalvandi, F., Motaghi, K., Shabanian, E., (2017) Lithosphere structure in the north Zagros collision revealed by joint inversion of P receiver function and surface wave dispersion, Iranian J. Geophysics, 10(4): 48-61.

  15. Motaghi, K., Hessami, K., Mostafazadeh, M. (2012) The Major Asperities of the Alborz tectonic region and finding the maximum probable location of future large earthquake. Geoscience , 85: 123-132.

  16. Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Siahkoohi, H.R. (2011) Determination of ground motion attenuation relationship in the Tehran region, Geoscience, 81: 25-32

  17. Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Siahkoohi, H.R. (2010) Visual Presentation of Seismic Attenuation Curves in the Tehran Region and Moho Thickness Estimation through the Curves, Earth and Space Physics, 36 (2): 1-16.

  18. Motaghi, K., Ghods, A., Siahkoohi, H.R. (2009) Calculation of magnitude M1 for earthquakes in the Tehran region. Iranian J. Geophysics. 3(2): 1-11.

Awards:

Teaching Experiences:

Khalil Motaghi, Seismology class, IASBS

Advanced Seismology Class, IASBS (Jan. 2019)

Field Experience:

Installing a seismograph in the Makran subduction zone, SE Iran (Sep. 2017)

Installing a seismograph in the Makran subduction zone, SE Iran (Sep. 2017)