Publications

Peer-Reviewed Articles

1. Andrew Birkey, Colton Lynner, Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2025), Structure of the Ecuadorian Upper Plate From a Joint Seismic‐Gravity Inversion, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 130, e2024JB030667. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JB030667 

2. Chengping Chai, Derek Rose, Scott Stewart, Nathan Martindale, Mark Adams, Lisa Linville, Christopher Stanley, Anibely Torres Polanco, and Philip Bingham (2025), PickerXL, A Large Deep Learning Model to Measure Arrival Times from Noisy Seismic Signals, Seismological Research Letters, 96(4), 2394–2404. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220240353 

3. Chengping Chai, Omar Marcillo, Monica Maceira, Junghyun Park, Stephen Arrowsmith, James O. Thomas, and Joshua Cunningham (2025), Exploring Continuous Seismic Data at an Industry Facility Using Unsupervised Machine Learning , The Seismic Record, 5 (1), 64–72. https://doi.org/10.1785/0320240046 

4. David Coblentz, Jolante van Wijk, Joshua Carmichael, Chris Johnson, Andrew Delorey, Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and Randall Richardson (2024), New Approaches to an Old Problem: Addressing Spatial Gaps in the World Stress Map, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 546, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP546-2023-27 

5. Chengping Chai, Omar Marcillo, Monica Maceira, Chris Young, and Thomas Karnowski (2023), Locating Operational Events of the Cooling Tower of a Nuclear Reactor with a Very Local Seismic Network, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 113(3), 1344-1355. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120220216 

6. Samuel W. Eaton, Edna S. Cárdenas, Jay D. Hix, James T. Johnson, Scott M. Watson, David L. Chichester, Milton A. Garcés, Steven A. Magaña-Zook, Monica Maceira, Omar E. Marcillo, Chengping Chai, Brian P. d’Entremont, and Thomas A. Reichardt (2022), An algorithmic approach to predicting mechanical draft cooling tower fan speeds from infrasound signals, Applied Acoustics, 199(2022), 109015. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apacoust.2022.109015 

7. Shoucheng Han, Haijiang Zhang, Lei Gao, Ying Liu, Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2022), Joint inversion of body wave arrival times, surface wave dispersion data and receiver functions: method and application to South China, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 127(9),  e2022JB024. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JB024083 

8. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, and Robert Herrmann (2022), Crust and upper mantle structure beneath the eastern United States, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 23(3), e2021GC010233. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021GC010233 

9. Chengping Chai, Camila Ramirez, Monica Maceira, and Omar Marcillo (2022), Monitoring operational states of a nuclear reactor using seismo-acoustic signatures and machine learning, Seismological Research Letters, 93(3), 1660-1672. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220210294 

10. Chengping Chai, Jonas A. Kintner, Kenneth M. Cleveland, Jingyi Luo, Monica Maceira, and Charles J. Ammon (2022), Automatic waveform quality control for surface waves using machine learning, Seismological Research Letters, 93(3), 1683-1694. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220210302 

11. Pengcheng Fu, Martin Schoenball, Jonathan B. Ajo-Franklin, Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Joseph P. Morris, Hui Wu, Hunter Knox, Paul C. Schwering, Mark D. White, Jeffrey A. Burghardt, Christopher E. Strickland, Timothy C. Johnson, Vince R. Vermeul, Parker Sprinkle, Benjamin Roberts, Craig Ulrich, Yves Guglielmi, Paul J. Cook, Patrick F. Dobson, Luke P. Frash, Mathew D. Ingraham, Joseph Pope, Megan M. Smith, Ghanashyam H. Neupane, Thomas W. Doe, William M. Roggenthen, Roland Horne, Ankush Singh, Herb Wang, Kate Condon, Ahmad Ghassemi, Hao Chen, Mark W. McClure, George Vandine, Douglas Blankenship, Timothy J. Kneafsey, and EGS Collab Team (2021), Close observation of hydraulic fracturing at EGS Collab Experiment 1: fracture trajectory, microseismic interpretations, and the role of natural fractures, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126(7), e2020JB020840. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB020840

12. David Lewis Guenaga, Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Omar E. Marcillo, and Aaron A. Velasco (2021), Seismically identifying nuclear reactor operations using a power spectral density misfit detector, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America, 111(3), 1378-1391. https://doi.org/10.1785/0120200267 

13. Chengping Chai, Andrew A. Delorey, Monica Maceira, Will Levandowski, Robert A. Guyer, Haijiang Zhang, David Coblentz, and Paul A. Johnson (2021), A 3D full stress tensor model for Oklahoma, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 126(4), e2020JB021113. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB021113, ESSOAr

14. David Lewis Guenaga, Omar E. Marcillo, Aaron A. Velasco, Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2021), The silencing of US campuses following the COVID-19 response: evaluating root mean square seismic amplitudes using power spectral density data, Seismological Research Letters, 92(2A), 941-950. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220200391

15. Omar E. Marcillo, Monica Maceira, Chengping Chai, Christine Gammans, Riley Hunley, and Chris Young (2021), The local seismoacoustic wavefield of a research nuclear reactor and its response to reactor power level, Seismological Research Letters, 92(1), 378–387. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220200139 

16. Martin Schoenball, Jonathan Blair Ajo-Franklin, Doug Blankenship, Chengping Chai, Patrick Dobson, Timothy J Kneafsey, Hunter A Knox, Monica Maceira, Michelle Robertson, Parker Sprinkle, Christopher Strickland, Dennise Templeton, Paul C Schwering, Craig Ulrich, Todd J Wood, and EGS Collab Team (2020), Creation of a mixed-mode fracture network at meso-scale through hydraulic fracturing and shear stimulation, Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth, 125(12), 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JB019807, ESSOAr

17. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector Santos-Villalobos, Singanallur Venkatakrishnan, Martin Schoenball, Weiqiang Zhu, Gregory C. Beroza, Clifford H Thurber, and EGS Collab Team (2020), Using a deep neural network and transfer learning to bridge scales for seismic phase picking, Geophysical Research Letters, 47(16), e2020GL088651. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088651, ESSOAr

18. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, and K. Michael Cleveland (2019), Aftershocks of the 2012 Off-Coast of Sumatra Earthquake sequence, Tectonophysics, 763, 61-72. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2019.04.028, arXiv

19. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, and Robert B. Herrmann (2018), Interactive visualization of complex seismic data and models using Bokeh, Seismological Research Letters, 89(2A), 668-676. https://doi.org/10.1785/0220170132, Github

20. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Sridhar Anandakrishnan, Cristo Ramirez, and Andrew Nyblade (2017), Estimating subglacial structure using P-wave receiver functions, Geophysical Journal International, 209(2), 1064-1079. https://doi.org/10.1093/gji/ggx075 

21. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, and Robert B. Herrmann (2015), Inverting interpolated receiver functions with surface-wave dispersion and gravity: application to the western US and adjacent Canada and Mexico, Geophysical Research Letters, 42(11), 4359–4366, doi:10.1002/2015GL063733. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015GL063733, IRIS Earth Model Collaboration

Nonpeer-Reviewed Articles

1. Chengping Chai, Derek Rose, Scott Stewart, Nathan Martindale, Mark Adams, Lisa Linville, Christopher Stanley, Anibely Torres Polanco, and Philip Bingham (2024), Model card for PickerXL, United States, https://doi.org/10.2172/2498438 

2. Chengping Chai, Omar Marcillo, Monica Maceira, Ryan Kerekes, James Thomas, Joshua Cunningham, and Bonnie Canion (2024), Using Seismic Data to Build a Deep Learning Model for Detection and Characterization of Vehicles, United States, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2428059 

3. Anibely Torres Polanco, Nathan Martindale, Scott Stewart, Mark Adams, Chengping Chai, Derek Rose, Christopher Stanley, and Linville, Lisa (2024). Repeatable Science in Seismic Model Training, United States, https://www.osti.gov/biblio/2438862 

4. Chengping Chai, Omar Marcillo, and Monica Maceira (2023), Analysis of Seismoacoustic Data for the Operational Status of Two Nuclear Reactors, United States, https://doi.org/10.2172/1995695.

5. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and EGS Collab Team (2022), Machine Learning Enhanced Seismic Monitoring at 100 km and 10 m Scales, in PROCEEDINGS, 47th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, edited, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 47, 635-645. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1845768. 

6. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and Omar Marcillo (2021), Seismo-acoustic Characteristics of HFIR Cooling Tower Fans and Pumps, United States, https://doi.org/10.2172/1838965.

7. Omar Marcillo, Monica Maceira, Chengping Chai, and John Krebs (2021), Material transfers detection with seismic observations, United States. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1827016.

8. Nageswara Rao, Christopher Greulic, Satyabrata Sen, Ken Dayman, Jason Hite, Will Ray, Andrew Nicholson, Jared Johnson, Riley Hunley, Monica Maceira, Chengping Chai, Omar Marcillo, Thomas Karnowski, and G Wetherington Jr (2020), Reactor power level estimation by fusing multi-modal sensor measurements, International Conference on Information Fusion (FUSION2020), 857-864.

9. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, Singanallur V. Venkatakrishnan, Martin Schoenball, and EGS Collab Team (2020), Automatic seismic phase picking using deep learning for the EGS Collab project, in PROCEEDINGS, 45th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, edited, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 45, 1266-1276. https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1615786-automatic-seismic-phase-picking-using-deep-learning-egs-collab-project. 

10. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, and EGS Collab Team (2019), Subsurface seismic structure around the Sanford Underground Research Facility,  in PROCEEDINGS, 44th Workshop on Geothermal Reservoir Engineering, edited, Stanford University, Stanford, California, 44, 1364-1376. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1495944. 

11. Yunhui Tan, Chengping Chai, and Terry Engelder (2014), Use of S-wave attenuation from perforation shots to map the growth of the stimulated reservoir volume in the Marcellus gas shale, The Leading Edge, 33(10), 1090-1096.

12. Yunhui Tan, Chengping Chai, and Terry Engelder (2014), Perf shot arrival time can track SRV., American Oil and Gas Reporter, September. 

Datasets

1. Andrew Birkey, Colton Lynner, Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2025), Structure of the Ecuadorian Upper Plate from a Joint Seismic-Gravity Inversion - Final Model. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.15012231.  

2. Andrew Birkey, Colton Lynner, Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2025), Structure of the Ecuadorian Upper Plate from a Joint Seismic-Gravity Inversion - Inversion Executable. https://zenodo.org/doi/10.5281/zenodo.15084785.

3. Erin Cunningham, Monica Maceira, Omar Marcillo, Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, David J. Miller, Elizabeth Berg, Kenneth Boie, John A. Miller, and Shawn Quick (2025), STILGAR Seismic Array Data. https://doi.org/10.13139/ORNLNCCS/2526230.

4. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira and Robert B. Herrmann (2022). 3D shear-wave velocity model of the Eastern United States. https://doi.org/10.17611/dp/emc.2023.eusdgr2022.1. 

5. Chengping Chai, Andrew A. Delorey, Monica Maceira, Will Levandowski, Robert A. Guyer, Haijiang ZHang, David Coblentz, and Paul A. Johnson (2021), 3D seismic velocity model for Oklahoma. https://doi.org/10.17611/dp/emc.2023.okdgt2021.1.

6. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, Singanallur V. Venkatakrishnan, Martin Schoenball, Pengcheng Fu, Clifford Thurber, Paul C. Schwering, and Hunter A. Knox (2020). EGS Collab Experiment 1: 3D seismic velocity model and updated microseismic catalog from double-difference seismic tomography. https://doi.org/10.15121/1642468.

7. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and Hector Santos-Villalobos (2020). EGS Collab Experiment 1: 3D seismic velocity model and updated microseismic catalog using transfer-learning aided double-difference tomography. https://doi.org/10.15121/1632061.

8. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and Hector Santos-Villalobos (2019). 3D geophysical model around the Sanford Underground Research Facility. https://doi.org/10.15121/1494316.

9. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, and Robert B. Herrmann (2016). 3D shear-wave velocity model of the western United States. https://doi.org/10.17611/DP/EMCWUSCAMH2015.

Software Packages

1. Chengping Chai, Derek Rose, Scott Stewart, Nathan Martindale, Mark Adams, Anibely T. Polanco, Lisa Linville, Christopher Stanley, and Philip Bingham (2025), WaveDenoiser, [Computer software]. https://github.com/ORNL/wave-denoiser.  https://doi.org/10.11578/dc.20250915.4. 

2. Chengping Chai, Derek Rose, Scott Stewart, Nathan Martindale, Mark Adams, Lisa Linville, Christopher Stanley, Anibely T. Polanco, and Philip Bingham (2025), PickerXL, [Computer software]. https://github.com/ornl/picker-xl.  https://doi.org/10.11578/dc.20250129.1. 

3. Chengping Chai, Jingyi Luo and Monica Maceira (2022), SUGAR, [Computer software]. https://github.com/ccp137/SUGAR. https://doi.org/10.11578/dc.20220106.9. 

4. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira and Robert B. Herrmann (2018), DynamicViz, [Computer software]. https://github.com/ccp137/DynamicViz

Selected Talks

1. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, and Omar E. Marcillo (2022), Seismo-acoustic characteristics of the cooling tower of a research nuclear reactor, SSA Annual Meeting, Apr. 20.

2. Chengping Chai, and Monica Maceira (2022), Revealing fracture and fault planes through deep learning enhanced seismic monitoring at meter and regional scales, ERC Tectonic/FEAR Seminar, Apr. 11.

3. Chengping Chai, Jonas A. Kintner, Kenneth M. Cleveland, Jingyi Luo, Monica Maceira, and Charles J. Ammon (2021), Using machine learning for surface-wave quality control, SSA East Section Annual Meeting, Oct. 19.

4. Chengping Chai, Jonas A. Kintner, Kenneth M. Cleveland, Jingyi Luo, Monica Maceira, and Charles J. Ammon (2021), Using machine learning for quality control of surface waves, GYPSUM Seminar, Oct. 18.

5. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, Singanallur V. Venkatakrishnan, Martin Schoenball, and EGS Collab Team (2020), Automatic seismic phase picking using deep learning for the EGS Collab project, Stanford Geothermal Workshop, Stanford, CA, Feb. 10.

6. Chengping Chai, Omar E. Marcillo, Camila Ramirez Aviles, and Monica Maceira (2019), Detecting and monitoring operational events around a nuclear reactor using seismo-acoustic signals, 2019 SSA Annual Meeting, Seattle, WA, Apr. 26.

7. Chengping Chai, Jonas Kintner, K. Michael Cleveland, Jingyi Luo, Monica Maceira, Charles J. Ammon and Hector J. Santos-Villalobos (2019), A comparison of machine learning techniques for surface-wave waveform classification, Machine Learning in Solid Earth Geoscience, Santa Fe, NM, Mar. 19.

8. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos and EGS Collab Team (2019), Subsurface seismic structure around the Sanford Underground Research Facility, Stanford Geothermal Workshop, Stanford, CA, Feb. 11.

9. Monica Maceira, Chengping Chai, Hector J. Santos-Villalobos, Ellen Syracuse, Haijiang Zhang, Charles J. Ammon (2018), Overview of today’s joint inversion methodology and its future into the machine-learning era for geophysical imaging, Recent Advances in Machine Learning and Computational Methods for Geoscience, Minneapolis, MN, Oct. 22.

10. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Charles J. Ammon and Robert B. Herrmann (2018), Interactive visualization of seismic data and models, Southern California Earthquake Center CVM workshop, Pomona, CA, Oct. 2.

11. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Charles J. Ammon and Robert B. Herrmann (2018), Smoothed receiver functions for joint inversion, Southern California Earthquake Center CVM workshop, Pomona, CA, Oct. 2.

12. Chengping Chai, Carene Larmat, Monica Maceira, Charles J. Ammon, Rizheng He, Haijiang Zhang (2018), Clustering P-Wave receiver functions to constrain subsurface seismic structure, Machine Learning in Solid Earth Geoscience, Santa Fe, NM, Feb. 20.

13. Chengping Chai, Monica Maceira, Charles J. Ammon, Robert B. Herrmann (2017), Receiver function analysis & applications to seismic imaging, Georgia Institute of Technology, GA, Sep. 1.

14. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, Robert B. Herrmann (2017), Lithospheric structure beneath the western and eastern United States, Seismology Student Workshop, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, NY, Mar. 14.

15. Chengping Chai, Charles J. Ammon, Monica Maceira, Robert B. Herrmann (2015), Simultaneous inversion of interpolated receiver functions, surface-wave dispersion, and gravity observations for lithospheric structure beneath the eastern United States, 2015 AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 14.