Seismology, geophysics, global and regional seismic tomography. Seismic thermography. Earthquakes and seismic hazard, origins of intraplate volcanism and geothermal energy resources.
Research Area
The structure and dynamics of the lithosphere and underlying mantle control tectonic processes and the distributions of volcanoes, earthquakes, and geothermal and mineral resources. In my group, we develop and apply new methods for seismic tomography, from regional to global scales. We also develop multi-disciplinary methods for mapping the thermal structure of the Earth’s interior. With these tools, we work on a broad range of topics, including the origin and evolution of continents, deep origins of intraplate magmatism and mineral deposits, geothermal resource assessment at regional and global scales, and—together with the European Space Agency—on the thermo-chemical structure and dynamics of our entire planet.
In our fieldwork, we have collected seismic data both in remote locations on land and on the North-Atlantic seafloor. We also use massive datasets available from other seismic networks around the world. We apply methods of physics to combine and reconcile multi-disciplinary evidence from different fields in Earth science, collaborating with colleagues in different disciplines. We work with big data volumes and develop code to get the most out of them. We aim to determine basic mechanisms that control tectonic processes, distributions of seismicity and seismic hazard, magmatism, and geothermal and critical-mineral resources.
Project Interests
I am keen to develop projects in broad areas of seismology and geophysics. I would welcome projects on the development and application of seismic imaging methods, building on my group’s existing strengths. I am interested in the study of the mechanisms that control the distribution of intraplate earthquakes, in Britain and elsewhere around the world—better understanding of these would improve seismic hazard assessment. I am interested in the poorly known deep structure of Britain—geophysical imaging and new seismometer deployments in Britain’s remote corners could reveal its evolution and island-wide geothermal energy resource potential.
