Transform faults are plate boundaries where two plates slide past each other horizontally. This study focuses on the Gofar oceanic transform fault where earthquakes rupture the same fault patches about every five years. This project will use seafloor seismometer data to study the earthquake cycle at this location. The results will improve the understanding of what controls earthquakes at transform faults. The project will train a post-doctoral scholar in cutting-edge seismological methods. Outreach activities on seismic hazards will be developed in collaboration with the Birch Aquarium. This project will examine ocean-bottom seismometer data from two experiments that recorded magnitude 6 earthquakes in 2008 and 2020 at the Gofar transform fault. Microearthquake focal mechanisms, stress drops, and near-source Vp/Vs ratios will track the spatial and temporal evolution of fault zone stress and strength conditions. The research will encompass the late seismic cycle through mainshock occurrence and into the subsequent seismic cycle. Key objectives include identifying tectonic processes that govern fault segmentation and distinct slip modes, determining fault-zone conditions throughout seismic cycles, and assessing how pore fluids influence seismicity in the Gofar barrier zones. The results will offer new insights into fault processes and inform hazard assessments of similar strike-slip systems worldwide. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worth