The Geophysics group combines experimental, theoretical, and observational studies to determine physical processes operating on and within the Earth and other planets. Our interdisciplinary research integrates approaches from geology, physics, mathematics, and engineering. Research topics include earth imaging, seismology, machine learning, rock deformation, geomechanics, earthquakes, glaciers, and volcanoes, with an aim to fundamentally understand the underlying physical processes and make robust predictions.
Department of Earth, Environmental & Planetary Sciences
Geophysics
Understanding the physical processes that shape the Earth and other planets.
Geophysics
Understanding the physical processes that shape the Earth and other planets.
Research Highlight
The Mechanics and Rate of Phase Separation in Magmatic Systems
Magma chambers are accumulations of magma under the crust or beneath volcanoes. These are believed to be “mushy,” as they contain many crystals as well as liquid magma. The process of separation of these crystals from melt has important implications for volcanic eruptions, as well as planet formation. The physics of this process is highly complex and is not well understood.
A research project led by Professor Christian Huber and recent PhD graduate Darien Florez, in collaboration with researchers at MIT, used a combination of methods to study this separation process, including physics-based modeling, laboratory experiments, and field work. Researchers also made trips to Nevada to exhume samples of frozen magma chambers to validate the theory.
This study has advanced our understanding of magmatic systems and the rate of the separation process. This is useful in forecasting volcanic hazards by allowing scientists to estimate how fast the magma chamber under a volcano gets ready for another eruption. The understanding of this physics also provides a valuable template to understanding the evolution of early planets and ocean sediment.
“This physics is not uncommon, we apply it to magmatic systems, but it has implications beyond that.” –Christian Huber
Geophysics News
Conversations about sea-level rise often spotlight warming temperatures. But Earth’s geological engine quietly plays its own role. Professor Colleen Dalton, together with colleagues, connects the dramatic change in sea levels to a slowdown in seafloor spreading that reshaped the depth of the ocean basins.
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In a new Science Advances publication, Assistant Professor James Dottin III demonstrates how Hydrogen may leak from the core into the lowermost mantle, become entrained in mantle plumes, and mix into the upper mantle. "We typically think about the water cycle on the surface," explained Dottin, "but we often don't consider what happens to water beneath our feet through deep Earth processes." By measuring 2H/1H ratios in olivine-hosted basaltic melt inclusions from a Baffin Island lava, Dottin and his team investigated whether mantle plumes contain Hydrogen from the core. "This means that some the the water you're drinking today might be seeing the surface for the first time since the Earth was formed."
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Rescue teams in Myanmar and Thailand are searching for survivors after Friday’s 7.7 magnitude quake that toppled buildings and damaged roads on Sunday, March 30th. As rescue teams continue to search, experts share the factors that impact their chances for survival. Trapped victims are more likely to survive if they are in a debris-free pocket that prevents major injury while they await rescue, like under a sturdy desk, said Professor Victor Tsai in an email.
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Faculty
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Karianne Bergen
Assistant Professor -
Reid Cooper
Professor -
Colleen Dalton
Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies -
Alex Evans
Thomas J. And Alice M. Tisch Assistant Professor of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences -
Karen M. Fischer
Louis and Elizabeth Scherck Distinguished Professor of Geological Sciences -
Greg Hirth
Vice President for Research,, Professor -
Christian Huber
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies -
Harriet Lau
Assistant Professor -
Victor Tsai
Professor
