Maureen D. Long
Assistant Professor


I'm an observational seismologist whose primary scientific interests lie in the domain of understanding the structure and dynamics of the Earth's mantle. Much of my research focuses on understanding seismic anisotropy in the upper and lowermost regions of the mantle; because anisotropy is a consequence of deformation, its measurement and interpretation give us some of the most direct constraints we have on mantle flow processes. In addition to using seismological observations, I try to integrate constraints from geodynamical models (both numerical and analog) and mineral physics experiments into my work, and my research spans all of these disciplines. Some of my current interests include the development and application of techniques for shear wave splitting tomography, the characterization of the mantle flow field in subduction zone regions, investigating the relationship between mantle processes and tectonomagmatic activity, and the measurement and interpretation of seismic anisotropy in the D" region at the base of the mantle. My research has a substantial field component, and the deployment of broadband seismometers in temporary arrays is one of the tools I use to characterize mantle structure and processes.