Fundamental to understanding the Earth as a system is the study of the solid Earth and the processes that shape it. These processes give rise to phenomena such as earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, and subduction. Research in solid earth and tectonic processes considers the characteristics and structure of the Earth’s interior, how the solid earth responds to (and records within rocks and minerals) evolving physical and chemical processes, as well as the interaction and influence of the solid earth with processes operating at the Earth’s surface. Researchers in the Earth Sciences department employ a variety of complementary approaches to study the solid earth, including seismology, high P-T experiments, geochemistry, geochronology, and geodynamic modeling. Also see the closely related Geophysics and Geochemistry groups.
Some of the important questions being addressed by researchers at Boston University include: How fast and by what processes are volatiles (e.g., H2O, CO2) cycled through the solid Earth? What is the rate and pace of mountain building and associated crustal transformations? Where within the Earth is magma generated and how does it make its way to the surface? How is convection within the Earth’s mantle organized? What can the seismic waves generated by earthquakes tell us about the thermal and chemical properties of the Earth’s interior? How do temperature, magma, and water influence seismic-wave propagation and rock deformation?
The Solid Earth seminar is a regular series of research talks featuring scientists from outside of BU.
ES505 Plate Tectonics and Kinematics
ES571 Geochemical Modeling
ES581 Solid Earth Geophysics
ES660 Geodynamics I
ES671 Introduction to Geochemistry
ES681 Geodynamics II: Fluids and Fluid Transport
ES701 Quantitative Methods I: Mechanics of Earth Materials
ES702 Quantitative Methods II: Analysis and Modeling of Geologic Processes
ES771 Isotope Earth Science
ES781 Methods of Seismology
ES831 Physics of Earth Materials
Note: A complete list of our departmental course offerings is available here.