Jessica Murray

Jessica is a Research Geophysicist in the Earthquake Science Center, serving as Task Leader for GPS data collection and analysis and as Project Chief for Crustal Deformation. Current responsibilities include coordinating the Geodesy topical area for the Earthquake Hazards Program. Research focuses on crustal deformation using a variety of geodetic data, including measurements of Earth's surface displacement.
This work examines the spatial and temporal patterns of strain accumulation and release on faults and the ways these processes influence the earthquake cycle. Areas of emphasis include using geodetic observations to infer the spatial distribution of interseismic and coseismic fault slip, providing insight into earthquake recurrence, and applying frequent geodetic measurements with methods such as Kalman filtering to detect and model transient deformation. These efforts support an improved understanding of fault stressing history, the conditions that enable stable slip, and the relationships among transient slip, seismicity, and earthquake‑induced stress changes.
Additional activities include developing methods for integrating real‑time GPS data into earthquake early warning systems and improving situational awareness following major earthquakes.