Dynamic Topography

The Hidden Topography of the Deep Earth

Ankit Barik and edited by Amrik Mondal September 9, 2026

Figure 1: Outer core with topography, exaggerated 200 times. Data from Koelemeijer, 2021.

Travel across the globe and you will see landscapes change along the way. But what if the same were true inside Earth? What if the landscapes we see on the surface also exist deep within? In this week’s Geodynamics 101 post, Ankit Barik, Assistant Research Scientist at Johns Hopkins University, explores the hidden topography deep inside our planet and why do they matter. The only fluid part of the ...[Read More]

Linking the Earth’s Engine and Landscape Formation and Evolution

Rafael Monteiro da Silva and edited by Jamison Assunção May 8, 2024

Image made using DALL·E 2

The Earth’s internal engine drives several geodynamic processes such as continental rifting and dynamic topography, shaping mesmerizing landscapes. Through numerical modeling, insights into formations like the Continental Rift of Southeastern Brazil deepen our appreciation of Earth’s dynamic nature and the forces sculpting its surface. The heat engine beneath our feet Not so long ago, ...[Read More]

Geodynamics 101: Dynamic Topography

Fred Richards and edited by Anna Gülcher November 26, 2020

The Geodynamics 101 series serves to showcase the diversity of research topics and/or methods in the geodynamics community. In this week’s post, Fred Richards explains how ‘Dynamic Topography’ is used in the Geosciences, and discusses the knowns, unknowns, and the challenges ahead. Since shortly after its tumultuous formation 4.5 billion years ago, Earth has been steadily cooling, wit ...[Read More]