M.Sc./Ph.D. Opportunities in Geodynamics
Funding is available for several graduate research projects in geodynamics/tectonics. Sample projects include:
Study of the continental plate collision across South Island, New Zealand. An intriguing geodynamical issue in continental orogenesis is the role of erosional and depositional surface processes in modifying the lithospheric tectonics. The Southern Alps across South Island represent an ideal natural laboratory for studying this issue since they represent a young continental collision and the region experiences some of the highest erosion rates on the planet. The purpose of the project will be to model the response of the convergent crust and upper mantle to surface erosion and deposition and interpret the results in the context of the (relatively abundant) available geophysical/geological/geodetic constraints.
Investigation of slab retreat and crustal tectonics across the Northern Apennines, Italy. The region shows an enigmatic tectonic juxtaposition of contraction and thickening of the Apennine range with extension and thinning in Tuscany. Various geodynamic mechanisms such as subduction retreat have been put forward to explain the syn-convergent extension. A host of geomorphologic, geological, and geophysical data have been collected to characterise the crust and mantle dynamics. These data will be used with computational geodynamic modeling to explore the driving mechanism for the lithospheric tectonics.
Exploration of the active tectonics of Anatolia. The Anatolian block (most of present-day Turkey) is experiencing anomalous horizontal and vertical tectonic deformation in its interior as it extrudes to the west. Some of these active tectonics are likely a consequence of removal of the mantle lithosphere beneath the region as imaged by geophysical techniques. Graduate projects will explore various aspects of Anatolian tectonics to try to unravel the geodynamic processes responsible for the observed uplift/subsidence and extension/contraction events.
Funding is guaranteed through the course of the graduate program in Earth Sciences and is at very competitive level ($25,000 +). I welcome applications from students with backgrounds in any Earth science discipline, as well as physics and engineering. This is an opportunity to get involved in exciting and expanding fields of geoscience in a dynamic research environment at the University of Toronto.
Contact: Professor Russell Pysklywec; Department of Earth Sciences, University of Toronto