Research

From UNC Tectonic Geomorphology

Glacial Landscape Evolution

How do glaciers modify landscapes and control the height of mountain ranges? Quaternary structural growth and glacial modification of mountain ranges in the Tien Shan, central Asia, provide an outstanding natural laboratory. [More]

Testing Tectonic Geodesy

How variable is strain rate at different time scales? This study examines the relationship between earthquakes, geodetic strain, and geology with focus on the Mojave Province and the Eastern California Shear Zone. [More]

Near-Fault Deformation

Faults weaken the rock around them during propagation and maintain these weak zones through repeated earthquakes. This study seaks to quantify the contribution of distributed deformation to total fault slip and slip rate over time from well-exposed examples in the Mojave Desert region of the Eastern California Shear Zone. [More]

Propagation of Basement-Cored Uplifts

The interplay of erosion and rock uplift determines the stability of faulting at the margins of basement-involved thrust belts. This study takes advantage of this dynamic system to explore the mechanics of fault initiation within intact basement rock and the role evolving fault geometry and kinematics in the growth of basement-cored uplifts. [More]

Transient River Networks

How do river networks and relief develop in tectonically active mountain ranges? This study combines field observation and GIS-based drainage network extraction with numerical and analytic modelling of dynamic landscapes. [More]

Continental Rifting and Rupture

What makes continents fall apart? The history of rifting and plate motion in the Gulf of California offers powerful tests and new insights into the geodynamics of continental rupture. [More]