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Geodynamics

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Thoughts on geological modelling: an analogue perspective

November 15, 2018
Thoughts on geological modelling: an analogue perspective
Final stage of a sandbox analogue model of an accretionary wedge. University of Lisbon, 2009. Experiments published in Duarte et al. (2011).

In geodynamics we study the dynamics of the Earth (and other planets). We ground our studies in as much data as possible, however we are constrained by the fact that pretty much all direct information we can collect from the interior of the Earth only shows its present-day state. The surface rock record gives us a glimpse into the past dynamics and evolution of our planet, but this record gets spa ...[Read More]

Let’s talk about disability in geosciences

July 4, 2018
Let’s talk about disability in geosciences
Geosciences should be accessible for everyone
Credit: Pixabay

Climbing towards outcrops during fieldwork for your undergraduate studies simply isn’t doable for everyone. However, this doesn’t mean that there are adequate alternative solutions available. This week, Katy Willis, PhD student on strain-localisation in the continental lithosphere at the University of Leeds, UK, discusses disability in the geosciences, because regardless of who you are ...[Read More]

Going with the toroidal mantle flow

October 25, 2017
Going with the toroidal mantle flow
Topography and bathymetry in the region of the northwestern Pacific. This area characterized by multiple subduction zones as indicated by a deep trench (darkest blue), such as that along Japan. Credit: NOAA

Subduction zones host one of the most complex and fascinating tectonic systems on the planet. Numerical models by Király and colleagues recently published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters reveal that the strength of the toroidal flow depends on the mantle viscosity and the magnitude of the slab pull force while the characteristic size of the toroidal cells mainly depends on the size of the c ...[Read More]

Pre-plate-tectonics on early Earth: How to make primordial continental crust

July 5, 2017
Pre-plate-tectonics on early Earth: How to make primordial continental crust
Artistic representation of the Earth in the Archean. Credit: Richard Bizley (www.bizleyart.com).

The sequence of events before continental crust formation has long been contested. Numerical simulations performed by Rozel and colleagues imply that the key to the puzzle could lie in the intrusive magmatism. Despite several decades of research on the topic, the trigger of proto-continental crust formation on early Earth remains an enigma. However, magmatic processes may hold the key to unravelli ...[Read More]