Joshua Russell

Assistant Professor

Syracuse University

I am a seismologist in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Syracuse University. My research focuses on imaging the crust and upper mantle using surface waves, primarily. I am interested in understanding the mechanics of extensional environments (from continental rifting to seafloor spreading), the role of melt and volatiles in the upper mantle, and Earth’s thermodynamic state. I study these processes by building tomographic models of Earth’s interior that incorporate geochemical, geodynamic, and mineral physics constraints. I also have an interest in using data visualization and sonification as a tool for science communication and outreach.

I am currently looking for motivated students to join my research group. Please reach out to find out more about research opportunities and life at Syracuse University.

Interests

Mantle dynamics
Ocean-bottom seismology
Structure and evolution of oceanic lithosphere
Seismic anisotropy
Surface-wave imaging
Seismic attenuation

Education

PhD in Seismology, 2021

Columbia University
MPhil in Seismology, 2019

Columbia University
MA in Seismology, 2017

Columbia University
BS in Physics, 2015

University of Missouri - Columbia

Research

Publications

J.B. Russell, C.A. Dalton (2022). Rayleigh Wave Attenuation and Amplification Measured at Ocean-Bottom Seismometer Arrays using Helmholtz Tomography. Journal of Geophysical Research.

PDF DOI

J.B. Russell, J.B. Gaherty, H.F. Mark, G. Hirth, L.N. Hansen, D. Lizarralde, J.A. Collins, R.L. Evans (2022). Seismological evidence for girdled olivine lattice-preferred orientation in oceanic lithosphere and implications for mantle deformation processes during seafloor spreading. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

PDF DOI

Z.C. Eilon, L. Zhang, J.B. Gaherty, D.W. Forsyth, J.B. Russell (2022). Sub-Lithospheric Small-Scale Convection Tomographically Imaged Beneath the Pacific Plate. Geophysical Research Letters.

PDF DOI

J.B. Russell, J.B. Gaherty (2021). Lithosphere structure and seismic anisotropy offshore eastern North America: Implications for continental breakup and ultra-slow spreading dynamics. Journal of Geophysical Research.

PDF DOI

Z.C. Eilon, J.B. Gaherty, L. Zhang, J.B. Russell, S. McPeak, J. Phillips, D.W. Forsyth, G. Ekström (2021). The Pacific OBS Research into Convecting Asthenosphere (ORCA) Experiment. Seismological Research Letters.

PDF DOI

J.M. Maurer, J.M. Schaefer, J.B. Russell, S. Rupper, N. Wangdi, A. Putnam, N. Young (2020). Seismic observations, numerical modeling, and geomorphic analysis of a glacier lake outburst flood in the Himalayas. Science Advances.

PDF DOI

N.J. Accardo, J.B. Gaherty, D.J. Shillington, E.Hopper, A.A. Nyblade, C.J. Ebinger, C.A. Scholz, P.R.N. Chindandali, R. Wambura-Ferdinand, G. Mbogoni, J.B. Russell, B.K. Holtzman, C. Havlin, C. Class (2020). Thermo‐chemical modification of the Upper Mantle beneath the Northern Malawi Rift Constrained from Shear Velocity Imaging. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems.

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W. Menke, J.B. Russell (2020). Non-Double-Couple Components of the Moment Tensor in a Transversely Isotropic Medium. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

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Z. Ma, C.A. Dalton, J.B. Russell, J.B. Gaherty, G. Hirth, D.W. Forsyth (2020). Shear Attenuation and Anelastic Mechanisms in the Central Pacific Upper Mantle. Earth & Planetary Science Letters.

PDF DOI

J.B. Russell, Z. Eilon, S.G. Mosher (2019). OBSrange: A New Tool for the Precise Remote Location of Ocean-Bottom Seismometers. Seismological Research Letters.

PDF Code Dataset DOI

J.B. Russell, J.B. Gaherty, P.Y. Lin, D. Lizarralde, J.A. Collins, G. Hirth, R.L. Evans (2019). High-Resolution Constraints on Pacific Upper Mantle Petrofabric Inferred From Surface-Wave Anisotropy. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth.

PDF Code Dataset DOI

Selected Talks & Posters

More Talks

Seismic evidence for alternative (D-type) olivine fabric in fast-spreading lithosphere

Combining P and S constraints in the shallow lithosphere, we provide a first in-situ constraint on olivine fabric type in the oceanic …

Jan 12, 2020 1:00 PM International Conference on Ophiolites and the Oceanic Lithosphere 2020

Joshua B. Russell, Hannah F. Mark, James B. Gaherty, Pei-Ying (Patty) Lin, Daniel Lizarralde, John A. Collins, Greg Hirth, Rob L. Evans

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Surface-wave constraints on upper mantle petrofabric and flow beneath ~40 Ma seafloor in the south Pacific

Seismic anisotropy beneath the YoungORCA ocean-bottom array reveals small-scale asthenospheric flow patterns due to the Pacific …

Dec 9, 2019 1:40 PM — 6:00 PM AGU Fall Meeting 2019

Joshua B. Russell, James B. Gaherty, Zachary Eilon, Donald W. Forsyth, Göran Ekström

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Surface-wave anisotropy of the Eastern North American Margin (ENAM)

Surface-wave anisotropy at the Eastern North American Margin shows margin-parallel anisotropy in the lithosphere, suggesting shallow …

Feb 27, 2019 1:40 PM GeoPRISMS TEI 2019

Joshua B. Russell, James B. Gaherty

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Code

Reproducibility in science relies on open-source software. I have been involved in several projects providing community tools. Listed here are a few that I use on a regular basis for surface-wave measurements & imaging, ocean-bottom seismic data processing, anelastic modeling, and more.

OBSrange

Tool for accurately locating OBS on the seafloor using acoustic ranging data

Simple_X

A seismologist-friendly Matlab wrapper for the thermodynamic tool Perple_X that estimates Vp and Vs for a desired composition

MATnoise

Calculate ambient noise empirical Green’s functions and measure phase velocities

mat-LRTdisp

Measure multimode phase velocity dispersion using the Linear Radon Transform

MINEOS_synthetics

Calculate synthetic seismograms for layered Earth models using the mode summation code MINEOS. Also outputs dispersion curves, sensitivity kernels, and eigenfunctions

invSWani-GBHE

Invert anisotropic phase velocities for anisotropy depth functions G, B, H, and E

ASWMS-Q

Automated Surface-Wave Measurement System of Jin & Gaherty (2015), adapted for attenuation, amplification, and azimuthal anisotropy.

ATaCR

Automated Tilt and Compliance Removal to clean OBS data.

VBR

The Very Broadband Rheology calculator estimates mechanical behavior of olivine on timescales ranging from elastic to fully viscous.

GitHub Contributions

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Outreach & Other Projects

Science communication and outreach are key components of my science. These efforts have ranged in scope from in-house events at the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, including Research as Art, the Seismic Sound Lab, and Open House to working with middle and high school students at the American Museum of Natural History and speaking to undergraduates at minority-serving institutions as an IRIS Recruitment Speaker.

Most recently, I have been involved with the Career Opportunities and Research in Earth Sciences (CORES) program at Brown University, which aims to introduce Providence high school students to the Earth Sciences by bringing an interactive curriculum to their classrooms.