John Rudge

Geodynamicist with broad interests in mantle and magma dynamics, theoretical geophysics and geochemistry.

 

Research Area

I am theoretician with a wide-ranging interests in the dynamics of Earth and planetary interiors. I am interested in better understanding mantle convection, and the role it plays in influencing the topography of planets. I am interested in better understanding the physical processes by which magma ascends through the mantle before ultimately erupting at the surface. I am also generally interested in better understanding rock rheology, as rheology is key to many geodynamical problems.

Much of my research involves mathematical modelling, often involving the numerical solution of partial differential equations that arise from continuum mechanics, but I also develop simpler analytical models and use novel statistical techniques in data analysis. My research is highly collaborative, and involves using observations provided by, and interactions with, geophysicists, geochemists, and material scientists.

 

Project Interests

I am particularly interested in better understanding the rheology of Earth’s mantle across a wide range of timescales, from the short timescales associated with the propagation of seismic waves to the long timescales associated with mantle convection. One approach to this is building grain-scale models of the fundamental physical processes, and then upscaling to produce laws suitable for continuum modelling. Such a project would suit a student keen on numerical modelling, and would also link to both geophysical observations and laboratory experiments on rock deformation.