Introducing New EAS Faculty
New Assistant Professor of Geophysics
Dr. Jiaxuan Li is a seismologist whose research integrates seismic and geodetic observations to study how the Earth deforms, ruptures, and evolves across a wide range of environments and timescales. He is particularly interested in how emerging technologies, especially fiber-optic sensing, can push the limits of observational capabilities and open new frontiers in Earth monitoring.
Dr. Li’s current research spans diverse field sites and research questions. In California, he has used distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) data to investigate high-resolution earthquake rupture process and source mechanisms. In Iceland, he led a pioneering study utilizing low-frequency DAS (LFDAS) to image magma intrusions in near real-time, demonstrating for the first time the potential of fiber-optic geodesy in improving monitoring capabilities and eruption forecast in an active volcanic region. At the South Pole, he has used DAS data to study the rupture process of “firnquakes”, revealing new insights into the snow compaction process. His upcoming work will explore the use of subsea fiber-optic cables in the Gulf for real-time seismic and geodetic monitoring in offshore environments.
In addition to natural earthquakes and volcanoes, Dr. Li is actively involved in applied geophysics aimed at improving seismic monitoring and imaging for geothermal energy development and carbon sequestration. He is also engaged in studies of deep earthquakes in subduction zones and their underlying mechanisms. His work combines novel instrumentation, advanced signal processing, machine learning, and numerical modeling to better characterize both natural and anthropogenic subsurface processes.
Outside of research, he enjoys swimming, hiking, and exploring new places. He is passionate about BBQ (especially Texas BBQ).