Esther K James
Before joining EPS, Esther completed a PhD in Seismology/Geophysics at Boston University, where her research focused on imaging the Earth’s interior under the Atlantic Ocean using seismic waves. Esther investigated the shear velocity structure of the upper mantle beneath the Atlantic Ocean, which allows for the exploration of how factors such as temperature, composition, melt, and volatile content influence observed shear velocities. Prior to her study of the Atlantic upper mantle, knowledge of the seismic properties of the oceanic upper mantle came primarily from regional seismic models of the Pacific basin and the East Pacific Rise. Given that the spreading rate, absolute plate velocity, and extent of intraplate volcanism are all anomalously high in the Pacific, exploring the seismic structure of the much less studied Atlantic upper mantle, which is the home of the slow-spreading mid-Atlantic ridge, contributed considerably to what we know about the oceanic upper mantle. Esther used surface seismic waves to determine the velocity structure of the upper mantle in the Atlantic basin, and used the velocity model to constrain temperature in that region. Working on Esther's PhD research set up opportunities for many sub projects that undergraduate students can benefit from, and she has been able to establish projects to complement course content in department classes. Esther has also been able to lead multiple research projects as part of the EPS Short-Term Research Project program centered around her previous work, to more easily introduce undergraduate students outside of EPS to research in the Earth sciences, and to train budding seismologist in the techniques used in seismology.