When minerals, rocks, and crystals deform they can determine natural stressors like seismic movements and glacier flows. From nano- to large–scale, our research applies theory and methods of material science to understand geophysical processes on planets and icy satellites. We mainly focus on two topics: nanoindentation and ice mechanics.
“We are interested in large-scale geophysical processes, like how plate tectonics initiates and how plates move underneath one another in subduction zones” – David Goldsby, professor of Earth and Environmental Science
Nanoindentation
Like clogs in a clock, faults in Earth rely on frictional interactions between contacting asperities of two solid bodies. Friction between the points of contact depends on chemical and physical processes at the surface. Molecular interactions between asperities determine the contact ‘quality’, while the number and size of asperities define the contact ‘quantity’. We are employing nanoindentation, a technique used in material science, to study the evolution of fault friction with different materials and the mechanics of future earthquakes.
Ice mechanics
Ice on Mars, Ceres, and icy satellites often contain rock particles. The presence of particles in ice changes its flow behavior, and thus, it is important to understand the composition and evolution of planetary ice masses. Based on deformation experiments, we study the dynamical properties of glaciers and ice sheets controlled by different mechanisms like grain dislocation processes and grain size-sensitive flows.
