Broadly defined, I am interested in using passive source seismic techniques to characterize the structure of the crust and upper mantle of the Earth. My research goals can be summarized by the questions “How are tectonic events manifested in the character of the lithosphere?” and "How do the seismic characteristics of a region relate to seismic hazard?"
I work on developing new approaches to characterize subsurface structure, primarily body waves and their coda and surface wave dispersion measurements. I have applied these techniques to a variety of locations to understand problems pertaining to:
- the relationship between fluids, seismogenesis, and orogenesis in subduction zones
- the structure of lithospheric-scale magmatic systems
- the geological implications (e.g., volcanism, deformation, and uplift) of subduction termination
- the characterization of shallow velocity properties to complement hazard analysis
I am an assistant professor in Purdue University's Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences alongside fellow seismologist Xiaotao Yang. We are both looking for motivated graduate students to help us build our Computational Seismology and Tectonics group and maintain the already strong reputation for seismology at Purdue. Don’t hesitate to contact me if interested.
Featured Publications:
He B, Delph JR, Wu S, Hooft EEE, grant a, Sahakian V, Share PE, Stephenson WJ, Wirth E, Herr B, Maguire R, Li G, and Ajala R (2026) "The CRESCENT Generation 0 Cascadia Community Velocity Model: constraints from the joint inversion of teleseismic receiver functions and ambient noise data", J. Geophys. Res.: Solid Earth, 131, e2025JB033216, https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JB033216
Delph JR, Darin MH, Whitney DL, Cosca MA, Teyssier C, Kaymakci N, Eken T, Reid MR, & Beck SL (2024) “Deep lithospheric controls on surface deformation and seismicity around the East Anatolian Fault Zone and A3 Triple Junction”, 34(8), p. 4-12, GSA Today, https://doi.org/10.1130/GSATG584A.1
Whitney D.L., Delph J.R., Thomson S.N., Beck S.L., Brocard G.Y., Cosca M.A., Darin M.H., Kaymakci N., Meijers M.J.M., Okay A.I., Rojay B., Teyssier C., Umhoefer P.J. (2023) “Breaking plates: Creation of the East Anatolian fault, the Anatolian plate, and a tectonic escape system” Geology, https://doi.org/10.1130/G51211.1
Delph, J.R., Thomas, A.M., Levander, A., 2021, "Subcretionary tectonics: Linking variability in the expression of subduction along the Cascadia forearc" Earth. planet. Sci. Lett., https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2020.116724
Delph, J.R., Shimizu, K., Ratschbacher B.C., 2021, "The architecture of the southern Puna magmatic system: integrating seismic and petrologic observations with geochemical modeling" J. Geophys. Res., https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB021550
Other Recent Publications:
, , , , (2026). Seismic reflection profiling at the Kentland Impact Structure, Indiana: Geophysical characterization of impact induced damage. Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 131(7), e2025JE009630. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JE009630
Li C, Beck SL, Delph JR, Ericksen B, Meltzer A, Lynner C, Ruiz M, Segovia M, Hernandez S, Vaca S, Wickham-Piotrowski A, Ponce G (2026) "High-resolution 3-D Lithospheric Structure of the Subducting Carnegie Ridge and the Ecuadorian Margin Imaged from Teleseismic Receiver Functions", Geophys. Res. Lett., 53, e2026GL122549, https://doi.org/10.1029/2026GL122549
French ME, Delph JR, Condit CB (2026) “A rheological model for the depth distribution of slip along the subduction megathrust", Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A, 123(26), e2535447123, doi:10.1073/pnas.2535447123, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2535447123
Ducea MN, Decelles PG, Chapman JB, Delph JR, Carrapa B, Ene VV, Petrescu L, Ward KM, Rossel P (2026) "The role of crustal magmatism in the formation and the evolution of orogenic plateaus", Geos. Soc. Amer. Bull., https://doi.org/10.1130/B38190.1
