Dr. Jones's research has focused on understanding continental deformation that appears inconsistent with the plate tectonic environment of the region, with a special focus on the western United States. By integrating geologic and geophysical observations with physics of tectonic models, Jones and his students and colleagues have investigated the origin of the modern Sierra Nevada, the creation of the Rocky Mountains, the elevation of the High Plains, deformation in the Mojave Desert and more generally the origin of topography in the western U.S. A specific observational focus is the use of passive-source seismology in imaging the lithosphere in this region.
